Lee Earle - Syzygy - The First Five Volumes

th e fi r s t fi v e volumes
Edited and Published by Lee Earle
Syzygy
the Journal of
Contemporary Mentalism
th e fi r s t fi v e volumes
Edited and Published
by
Lee Earle
Copyright 2003 Lee Earle
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
permission of SYZYGY Press
Printed and Bound in the United States of America
Typesetting by Macintosh / PageMaker
Layout and Graphics by Lee Earle
IV
Contents
About the Editor ......................................................................................... XIII
Foreword ........................................................................................................ XV
Volume One
Slow-Motion Gellerism.................................................................................... 1
Object Dart........................................................................................................ 2
Give the Lady Credit ....................................................................................... 3
A State of TASTE .............................................................................................. 5
Positive Negative ............................................................................................. 6
The Telephonic Oracle .................................................................................... 7
Bottle Capper .................................................................................................... 9
Clip Sheet ......................................................................................................... 10
Tarot-ized .......................................................................................................... 11
Synaptic Symbols ........................................................................................... 13
Mind Drive ....................................................................................................... 14
Please Be Seated............................................................................................. 15
Linguistic Deception ................................................................................... 18
*Guessin Gumballs ........................................................................................ 21
Guidichar ......................................................................................................... 22
Destination Earth .......................................................................................... 23
Crystal Dust ..................................................................................................... 25
Body Parts ....................................................................................................... 26
Psi-Touch .......................................................................................................... 27
The 68th Parallel ............................................................................................ 29
TopoLogo .......................................................................................................... 30
*Destinys Destination................................................................................... 33
One Point Five ................................................................................................ 34
Vested Interest ................................................................................................ 35
Tarot Tin ........................................................................................................... 37
Graph-ometery ................................................................................................ 38
Elemental Assembly ....................................................................................... 39
* Selected as material for the SYZYGYs BEST! lectures.
Quarterly Supplement professional development articles
V
No-Brainer Q & A............................................................................................ 41

*Deep Sea Digits ............................................................................................. 42
*Keys Royale.................................................................................................... 43
Childs Play ...................................................................................................... 45
News-Wordy ..................................................................................................... 46
Kid Vision ......................................................................................................... 47
*Running the Numbers ................................................................................. 49
Mystero ............................................................................................................. 50
Five Cast ........................................................................................................... 51
Nuggets of Knowledge ................................................................................ 54
The Really Real Prediction .......................................................................... 57
Double Dowsing .............................................................................................. 58
Futures Window ............................................................................................. 59
The Fortunate Cookie ................................................................................... 61
Domestic Deception ....................................................................................... 62
The Grand Master Gambit ........................................................................... 63
Twisted Psyche ............................................................................................... 65
*The Himelrick Maneuver............................................................................ 66
SYZYGYs Style ............................................................................................. 69
Junction ......................................................................................................... 70
Looking Forward ......................................................................................... 71
Submissions Policy ...................................................................................... 72
Poster ................................................................................................................ 73
Keys Redux ...................................................................................................... 74
Stickum Up ...................................................................................................... 75
The Polygraph Pack ...................................................................................... 77
Aura-Matic ....................................................................................................... 78
Time Out! .......................................................................................................... 79
Dark Corner .................................................................................................... 81
Intuitive Flash ................................................................................................ 83
The Coffee House Psychic .......................................................................... 85
Volume Two
Not By Chance ................................................................................................ 89
Money In Your Pocket ................................................................................... 90
Clear Cut Choice ............................................................................................ 91
Kismets Journey ............................................................................................ 93
Touch Technique ............................................................................................ 94
*Dream Design ................................................................................................ 95
VI
Monte Logo ...................................................................................................... 97

Nada Clue ......................................................................................................... 98
Go Weigh ........................................................................................................... 99
*Quintuple ..................................................................................................... 101
Half Hearted .................................................................................................. 102
Four Way A-Hoy ............................................................................................ 105
Wax The Facts ............................................................................................... 106
Ultimate Psychometry ................................................................................ 107
Payday ............................................................................................................ 109
Hands of Time ................................................................................................110
Presentation 3 ................................................................................................ 111
How to Make and Tell Fortunes...............................................................113
Unleaded Par-Optic ......................................................................................117
Chinese Menu .................................................................................................118
A Savory Tip ...................................................................................................119
BillZBetter ................................................................................................. 121
Mind Flight .................................................................................................... 122
Mental Murmurs ........................................................................................... 125
Gamblers Recall........................................................................................... 126
Duplicitous Business ................................................................................... 127
Pin-Up Postcard ........................................................................................... 129
Double Divination ........................................................................................ 130
Whats Her Makeup? .................................................................................. 133
KOLD Radio Readings .............................................................................. 134
Th-Th-Th-Thats All Folks! .......................................................................... 137
The Two Martini Hunch ............................................................................. 138
Wanderlust ..................................................................................................... 139
Witch-Fork ..................................................................................................... 141
Affinity ............................................................................................................ 142
Korano Blanco .............................................................................................. 143
Greeked! ......................................................................................................... 145
PSImpathy ..................................................................................................... 146
*Bold & Beautiful Prophecy ...................................................................... 149
Four on a Date .............................................................................................. 150
Blow Out the Candles .................................................................................. 151
The Secret Circuit...................................................................................... 153
Technicolor Trio ........................................................................................... 157
Picture Show ................................................................................................. 158
Melts in Your Mind ....................................................................................... 161
*The IQ Chart ............................................................................................ 162
VII
Verbal Influence ........................................................................................... 163

The Shape of Things .................................................................................... 165
Tarot Telepathy 2000 ................................................................................... 167
Mind Over Body ............................................................................................ 169
Einsteins Tarot ............................................................................................. 170
*Whenever - Anywhere................................................................................ 171
Postcard Promo .......................................................................................... 173
Volume Three
*Deli Delight .................................................................................................. 177
Number-voyance........................................................................................... 178
Spiritual Attraction ..................................................................................... 179
Boris and Natasha ........................................................................................ 181
Penta-Preview............................................................................................... 182
Double Delight .............................................................................................. 183
Dream Scheme .............................................................................................. 185
Place Setting ................................................................................................. 187
Scents and Sense .......................................................................................... 189
Safely Sealed ................................................................................................. 190
By the Numbers ............................................................................................ 191
Cold Readers ................................................................................................. 193
Dowsing Duplicates ..................................................................................... 194
Do Not Pass Go! ............................................................................................ 195
*Midway Dream ............................................................................................ 197
*Option Call ................................................................................................... 199
Minefield ........................................................................................................ 201
Carded! ...........................................................................................................203
Juris Prudence .............................................................................................205
*The Compelling Key...................................................................................206
Reigning Cats and Dogs..............................................................................207
Cold Reading Demographics ...................................................................209
Golden Year .................................................................................................... 213
Poor Mans Room Service ........................................................................... 214
Testy ................................................................................................................ 215
Graphology Goldmine ............................................................................... 217
Digit Eyes ....................................................................................................... 221
Veg-a-Mental ..................................................................................................223
Lightning Thot ..............................................................................................225
A Table for Two .............................................................................................226
VIII
Walk of Fame .................................................................................................227

The Four Pattern Ploy ................................................................................229
*Par for the Course ......................................................................................230
Mindblowing Psychic Readings .............................................................233
Kidz Kardz .....................................................................................................237
Local Attraction ............................................................................................239
In Search of Truth ........................................................................................ 241
The Telltale Timber......................................................................................242
Turning the Tarot .........................................................................................245
*Emergency Mentalism ...............................................................................246
The Fool That Tricked Einstein ................................................................249
Roll Tape! .......................................................................................................250
Mindblowing Psychic Readings, II ........................................................253
The Ziploc Gizmo..........................................................................................257
Practice Contact ...........................................................................................258
A M-I-N-D for This & That ..........................................................................259
Pro Fabulation .............................................................................................. 261
*This Gifts for You .......................................................................................263
Volume Four
Time is of the Essence .................................................................................265
PK Pins ...........................................................................................................267
Puzzling Perception ....................................................................................269
The Silent Word ............................................................................................ 271
Time Will Tell .................................................................................................273
Zodiesque .......................................................................................................274
Marc Salems Mind Games .......................................................................277
Life Force Triangle ...................................................................................... 281
Opus Conversam ..........................................................................................282
The X Cards ................................................................................................285
Psychic Jeopardy .........................................................................................286
Chip Shot ........................................................................................................289
Tangled Web...................................................................................................290
Key to Success ...............................................................................................293
*The Tender Touch .......................................................................................294
Clean Sweep ..................................................................................................295
Eye PSIght .....................................................................................................297
Picture Perfect..............................................................................................299
See-Thru Psychometry................................................................................ 301
IX
Tourist Trap ...................................................................................................303

How to Handle Difficult Audiences .......................................................305
Common Cents ..............................................................................................309
Tossed Out Trio ..............................................................................................311
Time Matches On .......................................................................................... 313
Token Psychometry ..................................................................................... 315
Telepathic Honeymoon ............................................................................... 317
Brain Book ..................................................................................................... 318
Dealing With Disaster ............................................................................... 321
World Tour .....................................................................................................325
Enlightened Company ................................................................................327
*Tip of the Tongue ........................................................................................329
The Sidekick Network ................................................................................ 331
Channel Change ...........................................................................................333
Petronym ........................................................................................................334
Future Diet ....................................................................................................335
*Corner Pocket .............................................................................................337
The Einstein Enigma ...................................................................................339
Impression ..................................................................................................... 341
Ognib ...............................................................................................................343
Essentials for Excellence .........................................................................345
Think Psychic ...............................................................................................349
Volume Five
*Mentalism Goes Postal! .............................................................................353
Actions Speak Louder .................................................................................357
Compatibility ................................................................................................359
Intuitive Eye .................................................................................................. 361
Hearsay ...........................................................................................................363
Voodoo Lou ....................................................................................................365
Stamp It Out ..................................................................................................367
Digital Kicker ................................................................................................369
For Whom the Bell Tolls.............................................................................. 371
PK Under Glass .............................................................................................373
L.E.X.I.con Revisited ...................................................................................374
The Freudian Reading ................................................................................377
*Two On The Aisle ........................................................................................379
Spycraft .......................................................................................................... 381
Lucky Star......................................................................................................383
X
13 Secrets For Killer Marketing Materials...........................................385

Bit on the Backside ......................................................................................389
Oddly Even ....................................................................................................390
$0.05 Quickie ................................................................................................. 391
Generating Powerful Testimonial Letters ...........................................393
Spoon Fed ......................................................................................................397
The Omniscient Oracle ...............................................................................398
Canasta Revisited ........................................................................................399
Credit Check ................................................................................................. 401
Cassette Deck ................................................................................................403
*Beat The Machine.......................................................................................405
Capital City ....................................................................................................406
Hindsight........................................................................................................407
Zennercycle ...................................................................................................409
Changing the Game ......................................................................................411
Sense of Intuition ......................................................................................... 413
Colored Judgement! .................................................................................... 414
*Minding the Mint ........................................................................................ 417
It Takes Balls ................................................................................................. 418
Cast in Stone ................................................................................................. 421
Graphis Acidus ..............................................................................................423
*Post-It Parapsychology .............................................................................425
Go For The Jugular .....................................................................................426
Party Partners ..............................................................................................427
*Post-Prognostication .................................................................................429
Hiatus ..............................................................................................................432
Index by Name .............................................................................................. 441
Index by Category ........................................................................................444
XI
XII
About the
Editor
I received an unusual phone call
recently from an old friend, asking if I
would do him a favor. The fact I got a
call, asking a favor wasnt in the least
unusual this happens quite often. But
since it was Lee Earle, I was quite confused. You see,
although Lee often does the rest of us favors all the time,
he rarely asks anything in return.
But this was a favor I was happy to help with;
telling the rest of you about Lee, both as a person and as
a creator / performer / mentor in this mysterious realm of
impossibilities.
I first met Lee at one of the now legendary
INVOCATIONAL conventions presented by the now
famous, or perhaps infamous, Tony Andruzzi. As I
discovered is his wont, Lee was impeccably dressed, in
suit and tie, his hair neatly trimmed. His gait was
strong, confident, yet he seemed at all times
approachable. His voice was smooth, strong, with a touch
of training, but very natural and clear.
It was obvious that Lee was a pro.
After watching him perform, I could see that not only was he clever, but also he had
real world experience to back it up. Although the INVOCATIONALS were often chaotic,
sleep-deprived, mind-altered affairs, Lee always stayed focused and could be counted on
to go beyond the call of duty.
As time and conventions went on I learned that Lee indeed had over 30 years of
experience in Magic that stood him well (and, as youll see, the rest of us too!), as he
ventured into Mentalism / Psychic Entertainment.
Adapting the art form to his own personality, Lee prefers a style of performance he
calls Contemporary Mentalism. In his own words, it is a softer style of performing which
avoids the approach of showcasing the performers claims of special skills or abilities.
Instead, the audience is encouraged to invest belief; not in psychic phenomena or spiritual
manifestations, but rather in the possibility that each of us can tap into unrealized inner
potential.
In addition to being an experienced performer of Mental Mysteries, Lee has also
evolved into one the foremost teachers and mentors in the field. Credits such as lectures at
Hollywoods Magic Castle and Londons Magic circle, or a quick glance at his prodigous
output of performance material (both commercial and otherwise) will prove the point only
too well.
XIII
Illustration: Tom Prete
Bruce Bernstein
But SYZYGY is more than just a credit; it has been a labor of love for over 8 years.
Anyone who has ever had to be creative on a schedule of deadlines wordsmithing each
contributions crazy quilt of handling, terms, and descriptions into a consistant style
knows he doesnt do it for the money!
Even though it would seem the Whos Who list of contributors did all the work for
SYZYGY, keep in mind that it was Lee who juggled all the different egos, styles of writing,
etc., while putting a little bit of himself in every routine.
As the years have passed by, compilations such as Annemans JINX, Jones MAGICK,
and Andruzzis INVOCATION, have proved their value time and time again. They belong
on any serious Mentalists shelf.
Thanks to Lee and his contributors, so does SYZYGY!
Bruce Bernstein
Chicago, June 2003
XIV
Lee Earle
Foreword
The nature of Mentalism has changed over the past
few years evolving from pedantic demonstrations
found within conjurors performances to an exciting,
thought provoking, and emotionally impactive
entertainment alternative.
SYZYGY has been at the cutting edge of that
metamorphosis, offering a selection of material, routines,
and supplemental information of superb quality,
showcasing some of the most highly qualified performers
in the craft. The generosity and creativity of these
exceptional individuals has made SYZYGYs success
possible.
Editing for SYZYGYs format imposes a certain
degree of brevity, primarily due to the limited page space
available. In most cases, complete routines and
presentations have been condensed to fewer than 500
words each. So, while the descriptions may be
abbreviated, it would be a mistake to equate word count
with potential audience impact.
As well, SYZYGY has advocated a distinctive style of
performance throughout, championing presentations
that acknowledge, appreciate, and applaud our
participants involvement in
creating these miracles of the mind while simultaneously
setting a believable premise that doesnt insult the audiences
intellegence or challenge their skepticism.
Several of these routines have been featured in the
SYZYGYs BEST! series of lectures and videos. Selected for
ease of performance and suitability for mid-sized audiences,
each one also offered the potential for use as a teaching module
helping to advance the concept of Contemporary Mentalism.
Many more equally entertaining routines didnt make the cut
simply of the specific requirements of a very demanding lecture
format. The wise reader wont ignore them.
Now, turn the page and open your mind.
Phoenix, AZ - June, 2003

XV
XVI
Volume 1, Number 1
John Riggs
Issue # 1
Slow-Motion Gellerism
Edited by: Lee Earle

Copyright1994
All rights reserved.
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85031-3301
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
http://www.Lee-Earle.com
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Single issues: $2.50
The year was 1972 and a brash young Israeli psychic named Uri
Geller was standing the world on its ear. Since then, one of the
defining abilities of the psychic has been the ability to mentally
bend metal. Perhaps due to their availability, spoons are the most
often used targets for the Mentalists psi powers. With those
words, John Riggs primes his audience for a memorable experience.
Working for a banquet audience, hell say, Lets try some group
psychokinesis. Pick up your spoons.
Mentalism is far
Speaking to a group close to the
more than a day job
stage, he requests, Give me a spoon
to John Riggs, who
from your table, and to those at
jokingly refers to
another close by table he says, Ill use
himself as the
a couple from here, too. Flitting from
table to table, John instructs members Southeasts Greatest
of the audience how to hold and stroke
Charlatan.
their spoons to get the P.K. to manifest
itself. He distributes his gathered spoons to people who wish to
participate, keeping one for himself.
Hold them just so, John demonstrates, and rub them lightly
right here, indicating the neck of the spoon. His fingers pinch
tightly at the neck of his spoon and begin to rhythmically rub that
spot. The spoons handle begins to move back and forth until it
appears the neck of the spoon has turned butter soft! Holding the
spoon by the very tip of the handle with the bowl pointed down,
John concentrates his energy and the bowl of the spoon seems to
vibrate, to move. It swings from side to side, vividly demonstrating
the malleable, liquid nature of the P.K.d metal. The spoons neck
weakens and the bowl flies from the handle, landing yards away.
His secret is to put the work into a spoon before the show, by
flexing the utensil at the neck until metal fatigue sets in; one more
bend will cause the weakened metal to separate. Then John
attaches a narrow, (1/8" wide, 3/4" long) strip of shiny Scotch tape
across the top of the spoons neck, covering the weakened segment,
with more of the tape stuck to the bowl of
the spoon than to the narrow part of the
handle. When the tape loosens during
the swinging of the bowl, it pulls
away from the handle and adheres to
the flying bowl. The tiny piece of
tape will be thumbed off when the
bowl is retrieved.
The spoon is sleeved at the start,
then added to the accumulated
flatware as John moves from table
to table. The rubbing and flexing
at his fingertips completes the
fracture at the point of the preshow metal fatigue.
1
David Burmeister
Object Dart
Things are not always as random as they may seem, states the
performer, as he hands a needle-sharp dart to a participant. In
fact, he continues, some outcomes may very well be pre-ordained.
The Mentalist explains that he has typewritten his premonition
of events soon to pass on the index card he holds in his hand.
Gesturing toward a free-standing cork board he notes that fifty-two
playing cards, arranged in neat rows and columns with their faces
concealed, are attached to the board with double-adhesive tape.
Give the dart a good toss, instructs the Mentalist, so it will
impale one of the playing cards attached to the target area. But
wait until I stand aside. He removes himself from the darts
trajectory, turning his back to the board and faces the audience.
If the dart should happen to hit between rows, remove it and
pierce the closest card. Its not necessary for me to watch you do
this, he says, indicating the typewritten index card with a twinkle
in his eyes, I already know the outcome.
When the participant advises that the dart is, indeed,
penetrating one of the cards, the Mentalist asks, To
satisfy the skeptic within yourself as to the complete
random nature of your selection, please turn over any
card adjacent to your punctured selection and reattach it to the board. Do the same with the others on
the remaining sides, as well as any at the corners of
your targeted choice. While you are doing that, Ill
read my prediction.
The Mentalist approaches one or two other
audience members and asks them to silently read
the card along with him, I have a vision of events
which will take place on (date), in which a helper
will throw a dart and impale one of fifty-two playing
cards. It will be the Ten of Clubs which is the card under the
darts tip, having been selected in the fairest manner possible! The
dart is pulled from the board, revealing the impaled Ten of Clubs.
The cards are arranged in the Eight Kings stack, then dealt into
rows and attached to the target board. Once the performer knows
the card to the immediate left or right of the pierced card, the
calculation is made and that cards name is verbally inserted into
the text as it is read aloud. He begins reading the prediction before
he even looks at the target board, looking up (and getting his key
information) only for emphasis on the phrase ...throw a dart...
The prediction is typewritten to place the spot where the cards
name is inserted at the end of one line and before the beginning of
the next line. The performer alternates, one line at a time, between
the two persons reading along with him. Each will assume the
cards value is printed on the line the other person helps read.
2
David has a full

time position with a
bakery firm and
performs mostly for
womens groups and
Psi parties.
Lynda Lovecraft
Give the Lady Credit
Lynda is a resident
of the Vancouver, BC
area and often
spends weekends
reading palms
aboard the ferries to
Victoria.
A keystone premise within the New Age community is

Psychometry. The psychic analyzes the aura which is said to
radiate from a possession of personal significance. PseudoPsychometry, as popularized by Annemann, is the
Mentalists improvement which takes the process a
step further. Not only does the Mentalist discern
the personality and emotional state of an objects
owner, but also returns it to the person among the
participants to whom it belongs! The return of the
item serves to validate the Mentalists reading.
A difficulty which often presents itself when
working for mixed groups is the receipt of
distinctly masculine or feminine items. If a
money clip and an eyelash curling tool are
among the items collected, little doubt
remains as to the gender of the contributors.
For many, it spoils the suspense and mystery.
The ubiquitous credit card is a surprising
solution. The participants are requested to choose a favorite
card from among those they carry, one which may have played an
important role in their past. It might be a charge card, a medical
plan I.D., or a membership card for an auto club. Most are the
same size and thickness, with sequences of numbers embossed on
the card.
The Mentalist hands each participant an identical small,
opaque envelope of the type found at most florists counters. Inside
each envelope is a rectangular, removable adhesive sticker. It is
used to cover the participants name on the card before the card is
sealed in the envelope.
After the Mentalist collects the five or six envelopes, they are
given to a neutral participant who mixes them to randomize the
selection. He tears an envelope open and hands the card, with the
name still stickered over, to the Mentalist who reads the cards
aura and through psychometry, the personality of the owner. The
Mentalist unerringly returns the card to the person to whom it
belongs. This is repeated for each of the remaining cards.
The method is simple. The inside creases of each envelope are
treated with a light application of colored eye shadow. Five shades
are used for five envelopes which are distributed in a known color
order. The color cue is transferred to the edges of each card as the
sealed envelopes are handled by the performer. When the cards
aura is examined, the color is wiped from the cards edge onto the
performers fingers, providing the clue to the owners identity. The
psychometry readings are standard issue, canned cold reading.
3
Editors Desk
Pronounced Sizz-uh-jee
This decision to embark on a major publication venture was not
an easy one, especially since the vacancy into which it will expand
is due to the untimely death of a dear friend. A greater, more
respectful, interval would have been preferred, but this unique
window of opportunity will not long remain open. The counsel of
wise and trusted friends also indicated that this is the time to act.
The die was cast only after a personal retrospection of previous
conversations with that silver-haired, elfin wordsmith. Those
memories reaffirmed my conclusion that he would probably be
offering the heartiest encouragement of all. He loved this market
niche and wouldnt want it to atrophy out of misplaced sentiment.
He also set a very high standard which wont be easy to meet.
So much the better.
I have been boosted by the overwhelming volume of letters,
phone calls, and cards offering motivation and endorsement. It is
comforting that so many wonderful people count themselves within
SYZYGYs circle of supporters.
Perhaps you have puzzled over my choice of the masthead name.
One option would have been to retain the newsletters original
name, TANSTAAFL. Published irregularly over the past few years,
it served as my soapbox and sales tool. The name, by the way, is an
acronym for, There Aint No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.
Taking a publication from private, free, and arbitrary into
something public, subscribed, and timely called for more than a face
lift. In fact, because TANSTAAFL was an unabashed
advertisement for my mail-order wares, it seemed better to retire
that identity in favor of an all-new name to fit the all-new format.
Youd think Id learned my lesson about clever newsletter
names.
A few folks, probably Scrabble players, will have recognized the
word right away. A few more will have picked up on the
astronomical reference and connect it to the name of the parent
publishing venture, Binary Star. But there is a deeper,
metaphorical connotation as well.
One of the dictionary definitions of syzygy is, ...a celestial
lineup. There is no better description for the group of contributors
whose work you will read here in the issues to come. They represent
the very best minds at work in Mentalism today. The one thing
they have in common, aside from their generosity, is the respect
and sincerity with which they approach this art and craft. Some of
these names are already synonymous with the best our field has to
offer; others will be less familiar but not for long. One of the
delightful benefits of editing a publication of this type is the
opportunity to introduce creative new stars into the galaxy of
contemporary mentalism. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Thank you for being part of this new adventure. I know not
where our path may lead, only that I travel in splendid company.
4
Volume 1, Number 2
Steve Shaw
Issue # 2
A State of TASTE

Copyright1994
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Believe it or not, the

Mentalist writes on the back
of his business card, you are
going to enjoy a taste of what
its like to experience an
advanced state of mental
influence.
He shows this bold
statement to the close-up
audience and then turns the
card toward himself to make a
private notation before signing the
note and turning it face down on
the table.
Taking another five business cards from his wallet, he writes a
single letter on the back of each: E, T, S, A, and T. Each card is
placed letter side up on the table after its letter is inked, building a
row of cards, spelling the word TASTE.
The performer gathers the cards into a packet and turns them
over so the business side of the card is uppermost.
Demonstrating the procedure to follow, the Mentalist continues,
I will deal from the packet on to the table. His next action
duplicates those words. The card, a T, is tabled letter side up.
At any time, he says, you may ask me to switch cards, at which
time I will push off two cards, switch them, and place them atop the
packet, just so. Again, his actions follow his dialog and he switches
the two and drops the pair upon the first dealt card, still letter up.
Whenever you wish, the next two letter cards will be exchanged,
and once again the switch takes place,
the last two cards trading places. Both
Steve Shaw is a
are dropped, letter upwards, on the
globe-hopping
pile which is then picked up, squared,
professional whose
and held letter side down.
preferred venues are
The Mentalist boasts, You might
comedy clubs and
think you are in control of your choices corporate functions.
about when to switch, deal, or switch.
Hands mirror his words as the first
pair is taken, exchanged for one another, and placed letter-up on the
table; the next card is dealt on the first two; and the last pair is
swapped and placed on the pile.
But, in fact, he goes on, you will be responding to the nonverbal, subliminal cues which I am sending to you. Every inflection
of my voice, every nuance to my expression is designed to influence
your choice in favor of the conclusion I desire.
Please turn to TASTE, page 8
Phil Goldstein
Positive Negative
When you find yourself in a situation where a short, impromptu,
off-beat prediction might be appropriate, try this one.
You remove a business card from your wallet and jot a few words
on the blank side, then place it aside, message-side-down.
Borrowing a Larry Becker premise, pretend to place several
There are few
invisible coins on the table: a penny, a nickle, a dime, a quarter,
personalities more
and a half-dollar. Your participant selects one which is imaginarily
influential in
picked up and tossed in the air. Ask him to call out whether it has
modern Mentalism
landed heads or tails. Your card predicts both the coin and the toss.
(or for that matter,
The method is classic Goldstein: equivoque and double-think.
in modern magic)
The illustration shows almost everything required.
than Phil Goldstein.
If the imaginary toss is heads, turn over the business card while
keeping your thumb over the top word, No! Because so little of the
card is concealed, there will be no suspicion of any extra writing. The
message is a straightforward forecast.
Should the toss yield a declaration of tails, have the participant
turn over the card and read the message. The coin is predicted but,
in a humorous manner, the flipped-to side is wryly disputed.
If you really feel it necessary (Phil does not), prepare a second
business card with the same message minus the No! to switch for
the thumb-covered card when attention is no longer focused on it.
Verbally force the quarter as follows: Imagine that in a row
before you are five coins.; penny, dime, nickel, quarter, halfdollar. We will eliminate four of them we need only one
coin. Reach out with your left hand and touch one of the
imaginary coins. If the quarter is touched, reaffirm the
fairness of the selection and proceed with the coin toss.
When a different coin is chosen, remind the participant
that a further elimination is due, and to touch one more
with his right hand. Should he touch the quarter, sweep
the three untouched imaginary coins from the table and
mime placing them in his pocket, These are yours to keep.
Hand me one those you touch. Which is it?
If the answer is not quarter, add it to the imaginary
others in his pocket, quipping, So far, youve made 66 on
this deal. If youre handed the quarter say, With those
in your pocket, youve cleared 66. Then toss the quarter for
the heads or tails call.
If, during the first touching, neither coin is called as the quarter,
tell your participant to place those coins in his pocket and to push
one of the remaining three coins forward. If its the quarter you
reply, You separated this coin from the others. Ill hold it while you
put the others in your pocket.
Should the pushed coin not be the quarter pick it up and
pretend to place it in his pocket. Ask him to pick up the remaining
two and proceed as above.
6
Dave Arch
The Telephonic Oracle
Corporate trainer
Dave Arch speaks to
leading businesses
nationwide.
Mentalism is an
important part of
his presentations.
The hushed party guests gather around the telephone as the host
dials the number given to him at the start of the evening. The phone
at the other end of the connection rings...
Earlier, the assembled guests were prompted by the Mentalist to
choose a random series of items, events, or other unrelated data to
test his telephathic link with an awaiting colleague.
A womans voice comes on the line, I have been waiting for
your call, she says, and I assume you have decided upon a
suitable challenge?
Yes, we have, replies the host. May we amplify your call so
everyone may hear? After an affirmative response, a speakerphone is activated and adjusted for volume.
The unseen telepath continues, Ill get directly to the point. You
and your guests have devised a simple test a sequence of selections
which you would have me attempt to reveal. Please ask my
partner to concentrate on the first item.
As the Mentalist concentrates, his mind-linked associate begins a
halting but powerfully accurate description of the catalogued
challenge.
The secret to the scenario is in the telephone amplifier. It is
never challenged, however, because its use is logical everyone
must be able to hear the revelations in order to share in the
enjoyment. Here is how:
All telephones and/or answering machines on the same
line must be unplugged. This can be explained to the host as a
protection against a confederate communicating the information.
The amplifiers volume control is set at its minimum, while the
microphone sensitivity switch is on maximum. The privacy
button is off and the amplifier main switch is on. The Mentalists
accomplice dials the hosts telephone number which will ring the
phoneless line until the amplifier is connected, answering the
phone. The telephone set is immediately connected to an outlet on
the amplifier. The handset resting in its cradle belies the fact that
the speakerphone is now a secret listener to the challenge selection
process.
When the time arrives to make the telephone call, the Mentalist
turns up the volume so everyone can hear and covertly switches
the amplifier first off, and then on, before adjusting the volume.
Instantly as the unit is turned off, the accomplice hangs up. If she
disconnects too early, a click and then a dial tone will be heard on
the amplifier, so timing is critical. Likewise, while she is secretly
listening to the party conversation, she must make no sound into her
telephone lest it be amplified to the partygoers.
During the revelations, the accomplice should be somewhat vague
in her descriptions of the challenge or folks might become
suspicious. In this case, as in most Mentalism, Less Is More..
7
Editors Desk
Colophons and Contributions

People have asked, so: SYZYGY is produced using a Macintosh
Centris 650. Illustrations are generated in Photoshop 2.5 and
Illustrator 5.0. Layout and text are done with Ready, Set, Go! 6.0.
Film negatives, screened at 133 lines per inch, are output through a
Linotronic 660 typesetter at 2032 dots per inch resolution. Metal
plates are made which run on A.B. Dick 98-Series offset presses.
Your contributions of material, routines, or ideas are solicited.
When you send material to SYZYGY, you retain all manufacturing
and sales rights. Thats so the very creative people who are the
backbone of SYZYGY will continue to send in the good stuff.
Material is edited for style, length, etc., so you dont need to do
a polished job of writing. Just phone, fax, dictate onto
cassette, or mail in your routines to become a contributor.
When your item is published, you will receive a signed,
non-folded copy of that issue, a very nice certificate of
appreciation, an extension of your subscription, and my
thanks for your generosity.
Personal: The person whose letter requested something special
with issue #1 should call me. I lost your letter!!!
TASTE, continued
Lets begin, only this time you cant see your results until were
finished, so the letters will be dealt face down.
Twice the packet is dealt through, and each time the participant
specifies when the letter cards are to be switched or dealt. At the
conclusion of the second series, the performer says, There are only
two words which can be formed with these five letters. As I showed
you, the first one is TASTE. The second, out of twenty-four other
incorrect possibilities is specified in my note.
On the prediction card the word STATE is circled. The five
letter cards are dealt in a face up row, spelling the very same word.
The secret is quite simple. When the cards are gathered the
first time, they are scooped up in the order T-A-S-T-E. The E card
will be the card on the bottom of the face down packet of five. The
handling employed is the Paul Curry Swindle Switch. Hold the
packet in left hand dealing position. If the participant says,
Switch, thumb the next pair of cards into the right hand, then
openly trade the two cards positions, and place them on the pile.
The first two times, the piles are dealt letter side up. If you
follow the patter for each series (deal, switch, switch, then switch,
deal, switch) you will have stacked the cards in the order, S-T-A-TE. When allowing the participant to decide to switch or deal, the
cards always go letter side down, which does nothing other than
reverse the order of the entire packet. The second run through
resets the cards in S-T-A-T-E order.
8
Volume 1, Number 3
George Kirkendall
Issue # 3
Bottle Capper

Copyright1994
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
A masterly presentation breathes life

into this Dan Alessini classic. When
George slips into his old timer
faade, a magical connection develops
between audience and performer:
Before I came here here, begins the
story telling Mentalist, I was rummaging
through boxes of precious treasures saved
over the years and I came across this.
He holds out for visual inquiry a small, cloth bag with a
drawstring closure.
I think this was originally a Bull Durham tobacco bag, but it
now holds priceless memories from my childhood. He explains,
You know how some kids collect marbles or baseball cards or bugs?
I had a seafaring uncle with a fondness for exotic beers. Hed bring
me the bottle caps from golden brews sipped around the world.
Dumping the contents of the bag onto the table he turns the caps
writing-side-up and reminisces about each. This is from a bottle of
San Miguel, the premier beer of the Philippines. Uncle Edgar sent
this Asahi bottle cap all the way from Japan. The green one sealed
a bottle of Heineken, a delicious beer from Holland. Canada was
the source for the Molson brand and the last one is from the U.S.
Lone Star beer is the proud product of Texas.
These caps are priceless to me, because they are my one last
connection to my uncle. I can feel his influence with us even now.
Why not try a connection yourself? Place the pointing finger of both
your hands on bottle caps, pick them up, and drop them in the bag.
George continues, Give me the bag, please. Now pick up two
more caps if you would. Ill hold the
bag open while you put them inside,
George Kirkendall
too. There remains only one bottle cap is a multi-talented
on the table, the Molson brand. Ill bet
performer who
youd be surprised to learn that my
personifies the
uncles favorite brand was Molson. As
theory that a
it turns out, its my favorite, too.
Mentalist should
George reaches into his inside coat
first be an actor
pocket, pulls out a frosty cold, open
bottle of Molson Golden, takes a long, slow pull from the bottle and
asks, Now how did you know that?
Experienced readers have probably figured out that the trusty
equivoque principle is at work here. Gather four unusual bottle
caps and keep them in the drawstring bag. When the opportunity
presents itself, wander over to the bar, buy a beer and ask for the
cap. The bottle goes in your pocket, the cap goes in the bag, and you
bide your time until its your turn to tell the lies.
Shakespeare had it right: The plays the thing.
Lee Earle
Clip Sheet
While straightening out my desk the other day (take note: this is
a rare occurrence!), I sorted records, receipts, invoices and the like
into separate piles, clipping the papers in each pile with those jumbo
two-winged clips which are correctly called paper clamps.
When I was sliding one of the clamps onto a stack of papers, a
As a professional
burr on the clamp scratched at the upper sheet in the stack. Not
performer, lecturer,
wanting to discard a perfectly useful paper clamp, I unbent both legs
author, and
and reversed their positions, which put the annoying burr on the
speaker, Lee Earle
outside of the clip, away from contact with the papers. Sort of like
is a vocal advocate
uncrossing your legs and recrossing them the other way.
for beleivable
Only after I slipped the clamp onto the papers did I discover the
Mentalism.
interesting anomaly I share with you now. The re-bent clamp, when
clipped to the papers, was a mirror image of its twins from the same
box, providing a living & dead clue which can be seen from across a
room! Here is a quick presentation:
The newspaper is a daily diary of our successes, failures,
hopes, fears, and enterprises. Behind every article are genuine
human feelings and emotions. Some of them almost leap from
the page.
This is especially the case in the obituary section with its
subtext of emotions generated by the final passage we all must
face.
Native Americans were said to believe that a photograph
captured the soul of an individual. Could it be that a persons
name in print ensnares his spirit?
This premise taps into that emotion for a psychic one-two
punch.
You hand the obituary page from the paper to your
participant and ask that it be torn into postcard-sized pieces,
discarding all but one. On that piece he is instructed to draw
an X from corner to corner and to find any persons name of
near the intersection of the lines. He is to circle the name
with the pen and remember the name. The paper is then
folded in quarters and clipped (with the re-crossed clamp). He
is to place it in his pocket for the moment.
Given a different section of the newspaper, the participant
is requested to prepare 4 or 5 duplicates, tearing postcardsized segments, folding and clipping them with the
unmodified clamps.
Place your hands behind your back and ask him to drop the
clipped packets into your hands, one at a time. At his discretion, he
may place the packet bearing the obituary into your hand.
Each of the non-obit packets is sensed and announced as
neutral, but is still given a tongue-in-cheek reading. I suggest
Please turn to: CLIP, page 12
10
Rick Waterhouse
Tarot-ized
Rick is a storytelling performer

who insists this
piece plays best as a
serious presentation;
anything less and it
loses its impact.
The participant watches as the performer opens a small,

mysterious box and removes several slips of paper and a pen.
Please inscribe on one of the papers the first name only of
someone who is no longer of this earthly world, instructs the
Mentalist. Then, on each of the other 4 papers, write the first name
of someone whom you know is still among the living. Shield your
writing so no clue is evident as to which name is which.
Once the task is complete, the participant is asked to mix the
papers and then to lay them out in a single row.
The tarot cards, informs the
performer, mixing the pack after he
removes it from its soft wrapping cloth,
are an oracle used throughout the years
to address questions of life or death. He
drapes the cloth over the pack of cards on his
palm and continues, Keep the name of the dear
departed foremost in your mind and lift off a
portion of the pack to locate your point of destiny
within the Tarot. She complies.
The performer deals a simple 5-card layout
from the top of the remaining pack, placing one
card face down card behind each of the slips.
It is said that if a pendulum, this old pocket watch for
example, is held over something representing life, it will move. It
may swing or circle or oscillate, but it will move. Over an object
devoid of lifes essence, it remains still. Try it yourself.
The participant dangles the watch over each written name in
succession; over four of the names, the watch moves. Held over the
dead name, the motionless watch mocks the dear departed.
The Tarot card aligned with the name is turned: the Death card!
Finding the dead name is simple. Rick uses the Ned Rutledge
idea of loading up a blue ballpoint pens tip with the residue
produced by dragging it across the business side of black carbon
paper. The first written name thus begins with a subtle smudge.
The Tarot deck is set up with 6 or 7 cards reversed on the bottom
of the deck. The second card from the bottom is the Death card. The
cloth is draped over the deck on the Mentalists outstretched hand.
The participant cuts off the top half of the deck by grasping and
lifting cards through the cloth. Under cover, the bottom half of the
pack is turned over. The Death card will be the 2nd card dealt.
Because you are building a layout (as opposed to just dealing
the cards in a row) you have considerable latitude in placing the
cards to make the Death card line up with the dead name. For
example, if the dead name is 2nd or 4th, begin dealing at the
appropriate end of the row of names to place it where it belongs.
Please turn to: TAROT, page 12
11
Editors Desk
Landmark Achieved!
Over 50% of the projected first years subscription goal has
already been achieved. Thats great news, but dont stop
there. Show SYZYGY to your friends. The larger the
subscribership, the better it becomes! More next time.
TAROT, continued
If the dead name is 1st or 5th in the row of names, you deal to the
two ends first and fill in the center three. If its in the center, deal endcenter-end, and the last two in any order.
Once the layout is complete, auto-suggestion, influence, ideomotor
response, bluff, and chutzpah will make the pendulum find the nonliving name. This almost works itself and, in the hands of an
impressionable participant, is a miracle.
The final revelation of the Death card, while not necessarily true to
established Tarot interpretation, makes a memorable climax.cl Rick is
a storytelling performer who insists this piece plays best as a serious
presentation; anything less and it loses its impact.
CLIP, continued
light humor such as, No death or tragedy here...its a wantad...Reward - lost dog...blind in one eye...walks with a
limp...recently castrated... answers to the name of Lucky!
Heres another, This packet has something about a
woman...she shot her husband...with a bow & arrow. I guess
she didnt want to wake the kids!
This is a news item...a man with a wooden leg caught
fire - pause - and burned to the ground! If these gags
look familiar, its because they were lent to Larry Becker
for use in his Howard Hughes Headline Prediction.
After your comments, dispose of each clamped packet
in your trouser pocket. When the clamped obituary page is
placed in your hand (the audience will know before you do,
because they see your helper pull it from his pocket), you
can identify the modified clamp instantly by feel (of course
you detect the emotions within).
Thats the setup punch.
While it is out of sight behind your back, tear off the
appropriate corner (the corner with no bare edges, marked on
the illustration) from the packet as in a standard center tear.
Fingers cover the missing corner as you deposit the clipped
packet in your pocket with the others. While your hand is in your
pocket, thumb open the torn corner and conceal it in your hand for
a peek.
Give the participant a marker pen and poster board upon which
to write the name he memorized from the obit. As he writes, it is a
simple task to glimpse the circled name on the torn center. Then
proceed to pluck the name from his mind. Knockout!
12
Volume 1, Number 4
Daniel Terelmes
Issue # 4
Synaptic Symbols

Copyright1994
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Studies show that

dreams, imagination, and
creativity develop in the
brains right hemisphere
which relates all things
visual. We need a few images
with which to work, the
Mentalist remarks.
Taking out some business cards, he requests,
...a set of items which can be easily drawn; things as
simple as a horseshoe or as complex as a skyscraper. Any ideas?
He sketches each item on the back of a business card. After
collecting about a dozen or more, theyre given an overhand shuffle.
You appear to be someone who has a good imagination. Please
choose an image upon which to concentrate. The Mentalist
demonstrates how to cut a packet to look at its face card and
instructs, Lift a portion of these sketch cards and view the random
selection on the bottom of your packet. No one else should see it.
Once youve committed the image to memory, turn your packet
of sketches face down and mix them a bit. Again, the performer
illustrates. Here, shuffle the two packets together, he adds,
handing his cards to the participant to be combined into one pack.
Now, we need your full and focused attention. Center that
image in your mind. Good. You have a powerful imagination. This
will be easier than I thought. Without allowing the audience to
peek, the Mentalist puts pen to paper and begins to sketch.
Find your image among the others and place it here, where we
can all see it. Have you ever tested your image projection before?
Its excellent! The two drawings are a
near-perfect match!
Daniel Terelmes
When most of us think of using a
shows cutting-edge
mnemonic routine, we visualize a
creativity in this
presentation at a blackboard using 20
piece which was
or 25 words written in numbered cells.
submitted to
Daniel provides a delightful twist on
SYZYGY during a
that well-known principle which keeps
telephone call.
the method camouflaged.
Using link-association memory, you
mentally connect each drawing with the one ahead of it. A bicycle
crashes into a telephone which hangs from a flower vase sitting on a
manhole cover, etc. Bizarre, visual associations work best.
Your overhand shuffle is really a series of complete cuts which
does nothing to change the order of the cards. Your demo of how to
mix the half-packet moves your top card (the one following his
design) to the bottom. When you hand him your packet, its a
simple thing to glimpse the bottom card to get your associative key.
13
Christopher Caldwell
Mind Drive
We are faced with endless, life-or-death decisions while operating
a motor vehicle. Some people rely on their natural reflexes and
subconscious instincts to keep them safe. Lets test your reflexes
with an imaginary road trip.
The Mentalist takes out 6 of his business cards and aligns them in
Christopher does
a row on the table. Imagine these cards are a road and this, taking
some of his best
a small matchbox car out of his pocket, is your car. Drive your car
thinking between
back and forth on the road until the urge to stop hits you.
voice-overs at the
When the participant stops on a card, the performer gathers up
FM radio station
all the remaining cards and shows their hidden sides. Each has an
where he works as
identical miniature Bike X-ing sign affixed or drawn on the blank
an easy-listening DJ
side. The card under the car is shown; it has the only stop sign.
Your drivers instinct somehow told you exactly when to stop.
Many variety and grocery stores have small packets of stickers
which are miniature road and highway signs. Christopher found his
in a Safeway store. Heres a use for those neat little stickers.
Affix Stop signs to the backs of three of the business cards and
three identical other signs (Christopher used Bike X-ing signs) to
three more business cards. Arrange the packet of six cards with the
two sets of signs alternating with one another.
Lay the six cards out in a line, rather like the white lane markers
on a highway, and ask the participant to drive the tiny car along
the road. When he stops on one card, collect those not under the car
this way: Starting to the right of the car, pick up each card and drop
it in your left hand. If there are cards to the left of the car, pick them
up from left to right. This places the two other Stop sign cards
alternating between the three Bike X-ing cards.
You show them all to be the same using the OLRAM subtlety.
Thumb the top card from the packet face down
into your right hand. Rotate both your right
and left hands so the card (in the right) and
the packet (in the left) are turned face up.
The audience sees an identical Bicycle
X-ing signs. Turn the cards face down, drop
the right hand card on the table and thumb
off the top card of the left packet onto it.
Repeat the actions with the next two
cards. Turn the fifth and final card in the
left hand face up, showing the Bike X-ing
sign and placing it on the pile. Direct attention to the
card under the car and turn it over to reveal the Stop sign.
If the participant leaves the car on a Bike X-ing card, show the
other cards as having Stop signs on their opposite faces and say, It
appears you ran through every stop sign in town, but your good
driving instincts stopped you when it mattered most at the bicycle
crossing.
14
Steve Shaw
Please Be Seated
Steve Shaw
continues to be one
of Mentalisms most
prolific creators.
His ideas are always
novel, fresh, and
audience tested.
The chair problem has been intriguing Mentalists for years.

From Dr. Jaks to Max Maven, the concept has been employed to
good advantage. Here is Steve Shaws solution to this eternal
conundrum.
I will need the help of a pretty stranger, begins the performer.
You sir, you look pretty strange to me. Please come up on
stage. The Mentalist hands him a white marker
board and a marker pen. You are going to predict
the future. Please write a number from one to four
on that marker board dont let anyone out there
see your number.
The performer turns to the audience, Is there
anyone out there who believes in reincarnation?
You do? Welcome back. Would you please come
up and have a seat in the chair of your choice?
Im not so sure I believe in reincarnation, but I dont
take any chances. In my will I left everything to myself. You,
madam, would you join us and occupy one of the remaining chairs?
Now I will need the help of a thinker. You sir, look like you
think a lot; the kind of man who might know where the people in
hell tell each other to go! Please choose a chair and sit on it.
Addressing the audience, the performer states, Lets meet the
three people who are seated. Sir, your name is? You chose to sit in
the first chair. You could have selected the second, third, or fourth,
but chose instead this one.
Madam, please tell us your name? You preferred the third
chair, but could also have chosen the second or fourth.
And last, but certainly not least, what is your name? You made
the final decision, opting for the chair number two. Fate has
decided that the #4 chair would remain empty. Its impossible that
anyone could have known that fact in advance. Sir, please show
them your prediction. And then tell us how you did it!
The participant turns around his card to show a large #4. The
Mentalist pulls the slip cover from the back the empty chair to
reveal a large #4. The other slip covers are lifted to show the
numbers 1, 2, & 3 in random order.
The modus operandi is multiple outs. Each of the four chairs
has a number taped to the bottom of the seat as well as a different
number taped to the back. The backs are covered with little slipcovers. If the backs are numbered 3, 4, 1, 2, and the seat bottoms
numbered 2, 1, 4, 3, any chair can be shown as any number.
When the prediction/empty chair combination dictates using
either of the hidden numbers, refer to the empty chair as chair
number 4. When using the empty chairs position to match the
prediction, you then talk about the fourth chair.
Please turn to CHAIRS, page 16
15
Editors Desk
Title Trivia
When I sent out a questionairre to many of the people I felt
would be critical to the success of SYZYGY, I solicited title
suggestions. Some people returned their surveys with a nomination
or two and one person sent in an entire page! Here are some of the
many thoughtful and innovative offerings:
Mind to Mind, Equivoque, Snappy Magic, Fun de Mental,
Legacy, Q & A, Mystic, The Vision, Mental-Lee Speaking,
Mindworks, Mindscape, Minds Eye, Mind Sight, Mind Scan,
BrainStormer, Earles Pearls (From four different people, yet!
Wonder what would have been suggested if Larry Becker were
publishing!), Gimmick, Mind Readers Digest, Brain Waves,
M.I.N.D. (Mentalism In New Directions), Fore Thoughts, Mentalia,
Prognostications, Mental Dynamics, Secrets, The Phoenix Papers,
The Spook Speaks, Emanations, Reflections, Mentalism,
Continuum, One Ahead, Impressions, and Equivocations.
The eventual choice, SYZYGY, came during a Macintosh session
using IdeaFisher (a highly recommended brainstorming
application), generating a mental word-picture which proved
irresistable. One wag has already credited the logo as a
foreshadowing of the Jupiter comet impact event!
Jay Lenos Tonight show recently featured a guest who claimed
he could tell the origin of the worlds postage stamps by tasting the
glue on them. He was blindfolded during the tasting, of course.
What a fantastic premise! Employing Mentalism technique but not
doing mental magic. Do any of SYZYGYs subscribers have a
videotape of that segment? Id love to see it.
If you havent already registered for Docc Hilfords Weerd
Weekend, time is running out! The weerdness is scheduled for
Phoenix, November 3, 4, 5, & 6 at the very posh Royal Palms Inn
(an old money resort free golf, tennis). Good company, good
entertainment, good ideas all at a good price: Hotel rooms are
$65.00/night, registration is $150.00, $125.00 for significant others.
Call Docc now to see if you can still get in, (602) 230-4251.
Best recovery wishes go to pitchmeister Anton Zellman and
ropeaholic George Sands, both on the mend from surgery.
Quarterly Supplement #1 is next, featuring an ear-opening
treatise on Linguistic Deception by Kenton Knepper.
CHAIRS, continued
For instance, the chair on the left can be shown as #1 by
standing next to it and counting it as the first chair. It can be
shown as # 2 by folding the seat up to show the large digit taped
there. That end chair can be shown as #3 by removing the slip
cover, or as the fourth chair by standing at the opposite end of the
row and counting to it.
16
17
Kenton Knepper
Linguistic Deception
The art of Linguistic Deception has been largely a hit and miss
affair. Kenton has spent quite some time categorizing and
understanding words (and how we interpret them) so as to create
presentations based often entirely on words themselves.
His new manuscript, Wonder Words, is the result of this
examination of our language. He details categories of words that can
be used in creating and enhancing mental and magical illusions.
Consider what we call vague language, the type one might use
in giving a common reading. We all know that people will seldom
challenge what we are telling them, as long as our words are not too
specific. We reason, If they cant pinpoint what were saying, they
cant argue against it.
On investigative television programs, psychics are often taken to
task by sceptics who exclaim, That could fit anyone! If you have
ever watched such a show, you may recall the enthusiastic applause
which follows this statement. (Except when the audience is paid to be
sitting there for those 900 number advertisements.)
Some performers have the unreasonable fear that the jig is up.
The technique is to sound specific, while still being nonspecific. There
are four main categories under what is referred to as Unspecified
Words. The technical names are Nominalizations, Deletions,
Unspecified Verbs and Unspecified Referential Index. These
technical-sounding terms are actually quite simple to understand.
Nominalizations are words used to describe something which
cannot be touched, felt or heard. For example: Your untapped inner
abilities, or, Use your knowledge wisely, for you are indeed gifted in
this regard.
Deletions are what the name implies: something is deleted or
missing from the sentence. The listener cant pin down exactly what
you mean because certain information is left out of the sentence.
When the reader remarks, Just keep your head and heart in the
right place and everything will work out for you, notice that what is
exactly the right place is missing from the sentence. Notice that
exactly how things will work out is deleted too.
Unspecified Verbs are the most often used category in the bunch.
If you have ever done pre-show work, the chances are youve used
this type of deception. If you used a picture deck to force a symbol
before the show, you might say during the show There is a lady in
the audience who is thinking of a drawing - a symbol of some type.
The word thinking is the Unspecified Verb.
Unspecified Referential Index simply means that the word is a
noun or pronoun that is not specific. There is no specific reference
18
Kenton Knepper
brings to the art of
Mentalism a keen
mind, a novel
approach, and an
inimitable way with
words.
TRANSPORTATION:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Travel
Map
Interstate highways
A set of keys
Vehicle
Hood ornament
Four radial tires
Gasoline
Automobile
Leather seats
Sports car
A horse
A White Ford
Mustang
being made to a person, place or thing. For example, the performer

might want to say to an audience: The only reason you cant read
minds is because you dont practice! The problem with this
approach is that it directly blames each person in the audience for
not being able to read minds.
Consider, however, this exact same idea presented by using a
noun that has no exact reference: The only reason people cant read
minds is because they dont practice! Notice how you have said the
same thing but indirectly this time. No one is likely to take offense
at this, and many will tend to wonder if practice may indeed be the
key to it all.
If you examine these categories closely you will find that you can
still be non-specific while appearing to be quite precise. From these
four categories you can do something else miraculous. You can
literally get participants on stage to believe that one thing is
happening and the audience to believe that something completely
different is occurring. All the while, a third reality is actually the
truth.
This may sound too fantastic for words, but it is literally the
words you use which make such a thing possible. In the following
presentation, everyone (including the participants on stage) are
hoodwinked.
EFFECT: A stack of cards bearing lists of various categories
such as Transportation, Food, Housing, etc. are displayed. The
performer mixes these category cards and asks the three
participants to take one each. They verify that each one of their
categories is different and that there are nearly 50 numbered
choices in all.
Each participant silently considers his list and focuses on one
item in the category. The performer first receives impressions and
then accurately describes what each participant is thinking about.
METHOD: There are three special lists as shown below. Make
up as many other legitimate category lists as you wish. All the lists
are typed or written on individual filing cards. The three gaffed
cards should be stacked from the top down: Transportation, Food,
and Cleaners.
Casually show the various lists and briefly mention them
without naming the gaffed lists. Mix the cards in any manner you
choose that keeps the top three card stack intact. Allow each of the
three participants to take one of the known cards from the top of the
pack, face down. Since you set the order of the top three, gaffed
cards, you can remember which person has which category.
Say to the participants, If you will compare lists you will see
that there are about fifty items listed in all. To try and memorize
those fifty things would be quite an impressive feat. To sort
through those fifty thoughts mentally and therefore know
what you are each thinking about - well, that would be a
miracle! The very miracle I will attempt tonight.
19
In this first statement, notice how the unspecified words imply,

Each person is going to think of one out of fifty different things,
while to the participants, it will be abundantly clear that this is a
test of memorization as well as an identification of the category.
Scan through your list slowly from top to bottom. You will
notice each category has various descriptions. Read silently
through the entire category now, ending by focusing on one
specific subject. Do not say a word!!!
To the participants these are very specific directions. To the
audience you are implying, Think of something on the list! As the
participants read through the list, they naturally end by focusing
on one specific thing because that is essentially all the list is about.
Turn to the first participant (the one who holds the
Transportation card) and say, Travel...a map...interstate
highways...keys, a bunch of them...now I see a vehicle...the hood
ornament...four radial tires...I can almost smell the gasoline.
Theres an automobile...leather seats...a sports car...a horse? Now I
see it! A mustang. A White Ford Mustang. Did I get it all right?
The audience assumes that you are receiving impressions and
speaking about these as they pop in. The participant realizes that
you are identifying his entire category. To him, this is a combination
memory feat and card divination. He is impressed by your
identification of the card he has and by your ability of having
committed that entire card to memory. Notice that the words all
right mean every item correct to the participant, while to the
audience it translates as, O.K.?
Please make the effort to memorize these lists rather than using
a crib sheet. Its simple to learn them as a series of related phrases.
Turn to the participant holding the Cleaners category and begin,
I think theres a scouring pad...a bucket...and hot water. Also a
cloth or sponge and some elbow grease. Bleach...powder... abrasive,
yes? I thought so. Theres a shaker can...cant forget the kitchen
sink. Some green crystals make a cosmic cleaner...no, Comet
cleanser, right?
Turn to the last person and say: Heartburn...in a cardboard
box. Warm bread...some kind of stringy stuff...melted cheese!
Olives, onions, green peppers, tomatoes...delicious. Sausage,
pepperoni, spices its a Deluxe Pizza, delivered to the door of your
mind!
Say, Give them a nice round of applause for their kind
participation. A little mind reading, a little memory to
remember!
(The audience interprets a little memory as a fond
memory while the participants understand this to mean a little
memorization. Both sets of people are again convinced that your
words fit your actions.)
I sincerely believe that the examination of the above effect
should allow you to perform a startling presentation and serve as a
model for the deceptive use of non-specific words. Rarely have
these types of words been used to their full and devastating
potential. Now you have the key which unlocks their employment.
20
CLEANERS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Scouring pad
Bucket
Hot water
Cloth or sponge
Elbow grease
Bleach
Powder
Abrasive
Shaker can
Kitchen sink
Green crystals
Cosmic cleaner
Comet cleanser
FOOD:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Heartburn
Cardboard box
Warm bread
Stringy stuff
Melted cheese
Olives
Onions
Green Peppers
Tomatoes
Sausage
Pepperoni
Spices
Deluxe Pizza
Volume 1, Number 5
Jack Dean
Issue # 5
Guessin Gumballs

Copyright1994
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
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World Wide Web
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Overseas (airmail):
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The Mentalist displays a large jar, filled

to the brim with colorful gumballs. The lid
is tightly screwed in place.
How many of you have ever entered
one of those contests in which you are
required to guess the number of pennies in
a jar? Perhaps instead, the jar contained
jelly beans, popcorn kernels, or as this one
does, gumballs, but the principle is the
same. The person who comes closest to
guessing the quantity of items is the
winner.
Heres an intelligent looking
gentleman. Whats your guess? How many
gumballs are inside?
After soliciting guesses from several
audience members, the performer continues, It takes more than
guesswork and luck to come up with the proper total. Perhaps if we
put our intuitive senses to work on the problem, we might succeed.
This lady here, indicates the performer, seems to radiate intuition.
Close your eyes, please, and let your mind arrive at a figure. Ill
give you a hint. There are more than a hundred gumballs. Do you
have it? Please tell us how many you perceive.
The participant says aloud the three digit number which comes
into her mind; this time it is 237.
There are three ways to confirm that you are correct. Since Im
the person who counted these gumballs, I could easily attest to your
estimate. But there are skeptics among us who might take
exception to my verification.
We could count all of these
Jack Dean is the
gumballs, but surely there must be a
prolific creator
less time-consuming way.
behind some of the
The best procedure is the simplest. most commercial
Do you see the folded business card
Mentalism
inside the jar? After I placed the
presentations
gumballs into the jar, I wrote the count
available today.
on one of my business cards, folded it in
half, and slipped it inside.
After handing the participant a large bowl, the Mentalist
unscrews the lid of the jar and dumps the contents into the bowl.
He requests the participant to dig out the folded card and open it to
read the handwritten message inside.
The note says, Gumball count is...237!
The illustration should tell the entire story. Obtain a 40-ounce
Skippy peanut butter jar. The kind made of plastic. Along one of
Please turn to GUMBALL, page 24
21
Tom Stone
Guidichar
In all lies there can be some truth; in most truth, there is the
hint of falsehood. Thus begins the performer who requests that his
participant use one of several slips of paper to write down a blatant
lie. The Mentalist turns his back or clearly averts his eyes.
The helper is asked to fold the lie in half and to staple the doubled
paper closed, using a stapler on the table.
Now write a bigger lie, one even more unlikely than the first, and
treat it in a similar manner, folding and securing the paper, the
performer requests. Two more, even taller tales are penned, folded,
and stapled, all while the performer looks away.
Comes now the critical portion of the test, claims the Mentalist,
for now you must write the most brutal of truths, that for which
there can be no successful contradiction. Fold and staple that paper
in a similar manner to the whoppers already sealed. You really
should mix the packets a bit, so none of us even yourself can tell
the white lies from the black truth.
Turning to face the assembled participants, the Mentalist draws a
star-shaped symbol on the surface before him then numbers the
points in a random order. Eliminate the false and all that remains
is the truth. Lets discover if that adage applies to you as well. He
distributes the stapled papers around the symbol, one paper at each
point of the star.
This is a truth stone, claims the Mentalist, withdrawing a
small, colorful pebble from his pocket, and despite your
most skeptical intentions, it almost always seeks
truth and purges lies. Take it and place it upon one
of the five points of the star.
The participant does as he is told. The Mentalist
instructs, That will be the first lie to be removed,
but first well open it to check. Often when the lie
is read aloud it is the source of some amusement,
depending upon the imagination of the participant.
Continuing, the performer says, Note the number
adjacent the point upon which the stone sits. In a
clockwise direction, exactly as in a board game, move the
stone that many points and eliminate the lie at that
point.
The process continues, eliminating, opening &
reading, and moving ahead until only one folded
slip remains beneath the pebble. Its the truth slip.
The working is simple. Every 5th staple in the stapler is marked
with a dark grey water-color pen. The colored tattletale on the truth
packet staple can be removed with a rub of the thumb. Place that
packet at position #5 on the star. The rest is automatic when you
have numbered the points as in the illustration. When the helper
begins by placing the pebble on #5, so much the better.
If you feel the circled star may offend, use a 5-sided pentagon.
22
Tom Stone, a full

time performer in
Sweden, wrote The
Warpsmiths
Toolbox. He credits
the star force to
George Sands.
Michel Asselin
Destination Earth
Michel is a part-time
pro whose primary
occupation places
him in Canadian
operating rooms as
a respiratory
therapist.
Recently an airline promoted mystery vacations for which

passengers bought tickets. The destinations were selected at
random. Lets extend that concept to include every spot on Earth.
Imagine that you, says the Mentalist, handing an airline
ticket envelope to a front-row member of the audience, have a free,
round-trip ticket to anywhere on the planet. Where might you go?
Actually, you have no choice. Remember, the destination is
selected at random. Lets see what fate has in store for us.
The participant joins the Mentalist on stage who withdraws
from its case an air pistol. The performer announces that, instead
of shooting a pellet, a target dart (which resembles a sharp-pointed
miniature shuttlecock) will be used. The participant selects his
dart from among several of different colors. The dart is loaded in
the pistol which is then handled as a deadly weapon (it could be!).
Positioning the participant to discharge the weapon in a
direction away from the audience, the performer indicates that the
target is a globe of the Earth resting on an upstage table.
The globe is spun on its axis and as it rotates, the participant
draws a bead on the sphere, closes his eyes, and pulls the trigger.
With a pfffffuttt! the projectile speeds into the target.
Mentalist and participant move behind the slowing globe to look
for the point of impact. The marksman spots the dart and informs
the audience of the geographical point of impact. That
location is the exact destination imprinted on the ticket
within the envelope.
In one of Corindas 13 Steps can be found the basis for
this presentation. Michel updates it for visual and
dramatic theatrical appeal.
A duplicate dart is previously placed on the point of the globe to
be forced. It should be implanted at a fairly severe angle, north or
south of the tropics. The fact that the shot does not appear
centered on the sphere is a subtle convincer. The side of the globe
which bears the dart is turned away from the audience.
Camouflaged against a similarly colored surface, the dart is
difficult to spot at a short distance; when the globe is spinning, the
dart is invisible.
In addition, the performer and participant are on a line directly
between the globe and the audience. This is to ensure safety when
the gun is discharged. It also screens the audience from getting too
close a look at the spinning sphere.
Equivoque ensures the proper colored dart is selected; the
performer only pretends to load it in the gun. Already in the breech
is a light weight projectile (a plastic BB) instead. The switch is
easy; most people are so uncomfortable with the idea of a firearm
that they will gladly let you do all the handling.
An ideal, low powered air gun for this presentation is the
Marksman .45 Auto, selling for about thirty bucks.
23
Editors Desk
Policy Pronouncements
Im told that Synaptic Symbols (Volume 1, #4) is similar to an
Arun Bonarjee item, formerly published in The Magigram. If that is
the case, he is due credit for prior cognition.
This seems a good time to outline SYZYGYs editorial policy.
Because it is virtually impossible to research submitted material
against each and every prior publication, I must assume ethical
intent on the part of contributors and consider duplication of ideas or
routines as inadvertent. A sincere effort will be made to credit
earlier thought (see the following paragraph, for example) and to
reject obvious borrowing from commercial or published items, but
thats it. Coincidental discovery is not the same as plagiarism.
Jack Dean tells me that he received his inspiration for this issues
cover piece from a Jim Stienmeyer concept in Conjuring. Jack also
has a pair of noteworthy new commercial releases: Psychic Sight, a
monograph on the blindfold routine (including his method for the
Kuda Bux test), and Replication, an up-close-and-personal design
duplication using business cards. They are priced at $15.00 each,
add $3.00 for postage. Write to him at 3110 Arrendale Street,
Memphis, TN 38118, or phone him at 901 363-7348.
GUMBALL, continued
the seams, use an Exacto knife or single-edge razor blade to cut
a narrow slit about 3 inches long. Smooth the edges of the slit with
a nail file so it wont bind or talk. Fill the jar with loosely packed
gumballs (count and note the quantity, just in case the guess is
correct) and screw on the lid. Prepare a business card as in the first
illustration, leaving room for your nail-writer entry of the count.
Fold the card in half with the writing on the inside. Push half of
the card through the slit and open the other half against the jar.
You have ample time while holding and displaying the jar while
discussing your verification options to thumb-write the correct
three digits onto the card. Fold the card to the left and push it into
the jar through the slit as in the illustration at the right.
When you are finished, you can display the folded card to the
audience as you unscrew the lid to pour out the contents.
If you are worried about the audience seeing the slit (which
should be much narrower than shown here), you can use several
short strips of black vinyl electrical tape to seal the lid to the jar.
When you remove the strips to open the lid, stick the strips to the
side of the jar, one of them covering the slit. A rapid twist of the jar
will shift the gumballs within, moving the card away from the slit.
When you use wrapped, hard candies, you can pass the bowl
among the audience, inviting folks to help themselves. This buys
some goodwill and destroys the evidence as well! If the guess nails
the correct number of candies, leave the bowl in a skeptics lap.
24
Volume 1, Number 6
David Zver
Issue # 6
Crystal Dust

Copyright1994
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
A most unusual crystal, shaped like

a large tadpole, is examined by the
assembly. The Mentalist places it in
his right hand at the base of his
fingers. That hand, in turn, is
placed across the palm and fingers
of his left hand. Sort of like
Allstate hands.
The performer marshals and
focuses the energies of the group and
directs them toward the crystal. It
seems to quiver and pulsate; then with a
snap! instantly pulverizes itself! Nothing
remains but a handful of sparkling, crystal dust.
At the heart of this Halloween or sance presentation is our old
friend, the Ruperts Pearl. Sometimes known as a Devils Teardrop,
this small droplet of glass has been a scientific oddity for years.
During the annealing process, a molten glob of glass is supercooled,
instantly hardening the outside layer and setting up a tremendous
molecular tension within. If the tail of the tadpole is broken, the
fissure will instantly spread through the entire droplet, imploding
and rendering it into millions of tiny grains of glass.
Whats new in this presentation is the method which allows the
glass blob to rest openly upon the fingers when it pulverizes.
The gimmick is a loop of near-invisible, lightweight fishing line.
Not the magicians invisible thread, because some strength is
required. A short length is tied into a 1-1/2" loop. The glossy
surface should be rubbed with emery paper to dull the shine.
Pinch the loop between the middle
two fingers of either hand with the
David publishes
larger portion of the loop protruding
Krypts Quarterly
beneath the hand. The tail of the
Crier, a prime
Ruperts Pearl is secretly inserted in
source for
the loop. When the hands are brought
presentations
together, the middle finger of the lower
dealing with the
hand threads through the larger loop
bizarre.
beneath the top hand. The round end
of the Pearl is pointed at the audience.
Angles are important but not critical.
When you slowly bend the lower hands middle finger, taking up
the slack in the loop, the glass blob will move a little. Increased
tension on the loop will break the tail and initiate the dusty
metamorphosis. The loop is easily discarded because all attention
will be on the remains of the experiment in the upper hand.
If thoughts of civil liability are circulating in your mind, try
draping a square of very sheer, transparent fabric over the action.
25
Body Parts
Heres a quickie for the scary season. It is best played tongue in
cheek. At least if you wish to get ahead, get a leg up, or sound hip.
There are a number of body features, instructs the performer,
which are spelled with three letters. He begins to deal onto the
table a number of index cards, each of which bears one of the words.
They are: Arm, Rib, Hip, Eye, Leg, Gum, Jaw, Ear, Toe, and present
in pubescence, Zit.
After turning the gathered packet of cards face down, the
Mentalist mixes them a bit and says, Lets get down to the bare
bones. We need to use one of these words, so would you please say
aloud a number between 1 and 10.
Counting to that card in the packet, it is dealt onto the table, face
down. The remaining cards are placed in the performers pocket. He
remarks, Do you realize that Zit has never been selected? One
might say thats an unblemished record.
Pushing the card in the direction of the participant with the
extended finger of his closed hand, the Mentalist continues, At this
point none of us knows which particular anatomical feature youve
chosen at random. But Ive had a hunch. Please turn your
selection over and share its identity.
The participant flips the card. It is the Eye card. I
see, remarks the performer. Once again, the eyes
have it! He opens his hand and rolls out onto the
table one of those novelty eyeballs in which the pupil
remains steady as the eye skitters across the table.
A counting force variation is used, with the cards in
the order given above. The mixing you give them
must not disturb the order of the cards. The 4th and
8th cards are the Eye and the Ear; if the participant
selects either of those numbers, just count to the card
from the top of the face down deck. F-I-V-E and N-I-N-E
require spelling the number to arrive at the 4th card.
O-N-E, T-W-O, S-I-X and T-E-N will allow you to deal the
first three cards off the pack, offering the next one to your
helper. The number 3 is handled by counting off, One, two,
three... cards and giving the next one to him. Seven is easily
dealt with in the same manner. Of course, if you want to interject
more lame humor (or are performing for a magic club audience), spell
8 as A-T-E and deal the next, fourth, card.
Both the eye and a novelty rubber ear are in your pocket, ready
for instant removal when the cards are pocketed. If the Ear is
selected, your line is, How Eerie! Youve made a sound choice.
Make up an 11th card with the letters, T & A and keep it in your
pocket. When someone snickers and suggests another 3-letter body
part, show the card and say, I thought of those, too, but I prefer to
do a G-rated routine.
26
Once again
Christopher serves
up an opportune bit
of skullduggery.
Obviously he has
entirely too much
spare time!!
Jean Boucher
Psi-Touch
Jean is a full time

pro who works his
wonders for the
corprate trade in
and around
Montreal, Canada.
The power of thought, begins the Mentalist, is our greatest

asset, but often it can work contrary to our best intentions. For
example, if you were requested not to think of a rhinosaurus in the
next 30 seconds, your imagination would defy you.
The performer continues, As any good police detective
knows, a persons subconscious mind will often work at
counter-purposes, especially when the subject is
attempting to conceal the truth.
I will illustrate that concept in a very simple
manner. While my back is turned toward you,
preventing any possibility that I might somehow
see, would you please remove one of the playing
cards from this pack? The Mentalist holds the
cards behind his back and allows the helper to
take one.
While you burn the image of that card into
your brain, he continues, Ill shuffle the
remaining cards. This isnt as easy as it looks.
With some degree of fumbling, the pack is riffleshuffled, still behind the performers back.
Following up with additional instructions, the
Mentalist instructs, While were at it, turn your card
toward the audience so they can show it to their brains, as
well. Slip your card back among the others and Ill mix them
one more time. He does so, then hands the pack to the participant
to mix for himself.
Further direction is offered, As I deal the cards onto the table,
please look for the one upon which you have been focusing. When
you see it, you must say, Stop! Not aloud, but in your mind. Its
not necessary that I observe your expressions. Just be sure you
dont betray your thoughts with an audible gasp or reaction.
One by one, and at a fairly rapid pace, the cards are dealt face
up under the participants gaze. Suddenly, as he deals one of the
cards, the Mentalist cringes slightly away from the helper. Not so
loud! A whisper will do. This is your card. The performer holds
up the last one dealt as the participant confirms the tests success.
Updating an Annemann trick (from 13 Steps to Mentalism),
Jean punches every card to produce a bump on its back,
positioned so the right thumb will feel it when the card is dealt.
All the bumps are aligned to make a one-way pack. The behindthe-back shuffle allows him to reverse the deck for the cards
replacement.
When dealing, the deck is turned so the smooth ends of the
cards are under the right thumb when dealing. The single
reversed card will identify itself by touch.
As the illustration suggests, this is a perfect piece for use with a
blindfold, which eliminates the need for behind-the-back handling.
27
Editors Desk
This n That
Two sources for the Ruperts Pearls mentioned in the cover piece
are: Sorceries Limited, 89 W. Broad Street, Suite A, Bethlehem, PA
18018, 610 691-8019, 610 954-7969 fax; Viking Magic, P.O. Box
1778, McAllen, TX 78502, 210 380-3929, 210 380-3930 fax.
I hope youve noticed, by the way, that there have been no
fillers in these pages so far. Each and every item which makes the
cut is a quality piece ready for your repertoire. It would be nice to
keep it that way. It would also be nice if the contribution file looked
like this illustration, but it doesnt.
SYZYGY is not only a resource to jump-start inspiration but also
an outlet to showcase your creative ideas. Send in that gem youve
been keeping to yourself. Phone, fax, E-mail, or snail-mail; just get
it to me and Ill do the rest. This rags appetite is insatiable!
One of the ideas in the works is a Quarterly Supplement on the
Mentalists Toolkit. Sort of a glossary of basic terms, moves, and
concepts which every performer should know. Things like
equivoque, mnemonics, the P.A.T.E.O. force, one-ahead, the 10/11
force, and so forth. Id like to have your suggestions for inclusion.
Regular contributor and peripatetic world traveler Steve Shaw,
will be a featured speaker in Phoenix, AZ at Docc Hilfords third
Weerd Weekend (WWIII) this November 3, 4, 5, & 6. Also speaking
is Kenton (Linguistic Deception) Knepper, tipping some of the
material from his upcoming book. There will be other surprises as
well as the usual list of suspects. You might still be able to get a
registration if you call Docc now at: (602) 230-4251. While youre on
the line, congratulate him for making the October M.U.M. cover.
If you have a computer with a CD-ROM drive, consider Virtual
Tarot, which features 10 different layouts and over 300 megabytes
of breathtaking graphics and animations, original music, video, and
vocals. Its by Virtual Media Works, Inc. and lists for $49.95. It can
be ordered from CD-ROM Warehouse at 1-800-237-6623.
Macintosh users can take the Palmistry CD-ROM in hand. Its
item #681-00-PALMCD at $49.95, from Club Mac; 1-800-258-2622.
A second bargain is PhoneDisc with Powerfinder, listed as a
master investigative tool with over 91 million telephone listings.
Imagine using it to amplify some pre-show tidbits of information. It
searches 5 regional discs by number and address for every listed
residence and business. Digital Directory publishes it and Tiger
Software sells it for $169.00. Reach them at 1-800-666-2562 for
Macintosh users or at 1-800-888-4437 for those laboring under
DOS, Windows, and OS/2.
John Riggs, a shining new star exploding into the
galaxy of contemporary Mentalism, reports that his book,
Heavy Mental, is due in March. Its not for the meek.
Retail Sales Survey: Halloween 2nd only to Christmas.
Scary! But the cash flow is there to tap into. Do it.
28
Volume 1, Number 7
Chris Hurlburt
Issue # 7
The 68th Parallel

Copyright1994
SYZYGY
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Inspired by Phil Goldsteins Kirigami

(and re-awakening an original concept by
Martin Gardner), this idea is suitable
for that casual sort of performance
when the force of a two-digit
number is called for.
The performer creases and
folds a sheet of paper in half
upon itself four times and then opens it fully.
The fold lines divide the sheet into 16 cells, a 4 x 4 matrix.
Numbers are entered in the cells, 1 through 16, from top left to
bottom right. The 6 and 9 are underscored to avoid confusion.
Handing the paper to a participant, the Mentalist requests that
the paper be folded along any of the previously scored lines. The
fold can be in either direction, under or over. A second participant
is asked to give the paper an additional fold along another of the
scores. The process continues until the packet is completely folded,
one-sixteenth of its original size.
Taking a pair of scissors to the packet, the performer trims all
four edges of the packet away, leaving a stack of 16 single squares
of paper, each bearing a number from 1 to 16. A wise strategy is to
actually scissor the packet in one continuous cut so the resulting
papers are circles. This allows the cutaway portion to stay in one
single piece instead of becoming a stack of shreds on the tabletop.
Some of the papers are number side up, others are blank side up.
Deal the papers onto the table into two piles, face up and face down.
Ask a participant which group of papers he wishes to use, blanks or
numbers. Pick up the designated
packet and thumb through the
Once a computer
numbers, announcing a running total.
programmer, Chris
Its safer for the performer to do this
is now a full-time
than to run the risk of embarrassing a
performer who has
participant whose error must be
discovered the
subsequently corrected.
seductive appeal of
The total will always be 68! If the
Mentalism.
paper started out as a red and black
checkerboard, all the squares in one
pile would be red and the others would be black. There is probably
some elegant topological theory behind all this, but frankly, we
dont care as long as it works.
Play this one lightly and have some fun with your audience as
they take turns being imaginative in their re-folding. To frustrate
the skeptics, secretly swipe or exchange a paper from the nonselected pile, spoiling any attempt to backtrack your method if they
try to run a total.
29
Lee Earle
TopoLogo
Advertisers spend billions of dollars to leave a favorable
impression in your mind, begins the performer. One method is to
form a close association between their products and trademarks.
Its no wonder then, that companies invest heavily in artwork
and design which will guarantee a strong impression. Here is a full
page bearing nearly a hundred of these logos, as they are called,
each graphically distinct from all the others. To demonstrate the
potency of this advertising technique, well use only one of them.
Size or placement should not influence your choice, so well cut
this sheet into smaller sections and pick one at random. Lets fold
the paper several times so we can cut all the layers at once.
However, continues the Mentalist, you should do the folding.
Just stay on the creases. It doesnt matter in which order or
direction you make the folds, so feel free to exercise your
creativity.
The performer trims the edges from the folded packet,
producing 16 squares, some face up, others face down. He discards
the face up pieces onto the table to one side and says, From among
those remaining squares whose printing we cannot see, select one
piece at random. Take a look at the assortment of trademarks on
that scrap. Select one, complete and uncut, whose product you can
picture in your imagination. Focus your mind upon that product.
The performer takes a pad and ponders a moment, gazing into
his helpers eyes, then draws a rough sketch. It is an illustration of
the very item in the participants mind!
Researching through collections of commercial trademarks has
yielded 8 different logos which generate instant product recognition
in a manner to our advantage. Those product logos are:
Lifesavers candy, Cheerios, Dunkin Donuts,
Michelin Tires, Lenders Bagels, Froot Loops cereal,
Spaghetti Os, and Compact Disc. When asked to
sketch the product, participants will produce the
same drawing for each: a circle within a circle.
The facing page bears a photocopy master for this
presentation. Its a collection of logos in which the
force designs occupy the center of 8 of the 16 segments
which result when the paper is folded and cut. The
remaining logos are either 1) on the pieces which are not selected;
2) trademarks which are scissored in half because they lie across
the fold lines, or; 3) unknown and generic companies.
Fold and cut the paper in the manner described in Chris
Hurlburts piece. As you thumb through to separate the pieces,
make sure the force logos are face down. If not, turn the packet
over. Dealing the non-force pieces face up on the table, displaying a
variety of logos, reinforces the randomness of the selection.
Once your participant has the final piece in hand, sweep all the
remaining pieces from the table and discard them.
30
The fold & cut

method from the
previous page lends
the ideal vehicle for
a presentation Ive
been noodling
around for ages.
31
SYZYGY 1995
Editors Desk
WWIII Highlights
Weerd Weekend III, Docc Hilfords three-day cocktail party for
devotees of non-traditional magic, was an unqualified hoot! Previous
events have taught us that words like punctual and schedule
have no reality in the weerd universe; the 1994 gathering did little
to modify that charming tradition.
From the opening mind-and-spoon bending lecture presented by
Steve Shaw to the closing brunch at which the attendees rose to
applaud Joe Givan as this years recipient of the Tony Andruzzi
Award, the excitement was full speed ahead.
Speaking of standing Os, my sweep second hand measured the
enthusiastic applause bestowed upon Guest of Honor and
sancemeister E. Raymond Carlyle at over a minute and a half.
There has never been a more deserving (not to mention gregarious,
generous, gentle, and genteel) individual in the business. His tableside talent settles the question as to whether sance is craft or art.
Other delights: Saturday night M.C. Todd Robbins, whose
sideshow escapades helped us forget that some acts disregarded the
adage about leaving the audience wanting more; Dublin Irelands
Quentin Reynolds, who reminded us that the fundamental
concepts still sell, even to sophisticated audiences; David Barkers
animated illustrations of the body as a tool to master; young pianist
Ian Floras Stage Magick overture; and Remee, the Nigerian story
teller whose haunting, lyrical chants still echo in my memory.
Conspicuous by its absence was the Atlanta contingent so
prominent at earlier events. M.O.T.M. burnout, I suspect. Im sure
that WW-IV will once again be graced by the Bizarrist, the Barrister,
the Beard, and the Beautiful.
Only one moment to single out for critique. With young people,
including my 14-year old daughter, in the audience, genital humor at
the impromptu competitions (or anywhere else, for that matter) is
not really appropriate. Yes, it gets the laughs (even from me, I am
chagrined to admit), but we are all thereby diminished. Is pride in
our word-pictures possible when the gutter becomes our palette?
You want bizarre? You crave weerd? You demand the classic
themes? Drop everything else and seek your inspiration in the
superb cinematography of the Kenneth Branagh directed movie,
Mary Shelleys Frankenstein. Then exit the theatre with the stunned
and speechless audience to realize that the bar has just been raised.
Tiger Direct (1-800-335-4059) offers the World Encyclopedia of
Con Artists and Confidence Games on CD-ROM for $24.95.
This final paragraph is written to acknowledge SYZYGYs
readers. Only five months into Volume #1, subscriptions have
already surpassed the first years goal! Advertising certainly played
a hand early on now the growth is almost entirely due to word of
mouth. Thank you for your continuing encouragement and support.
32
Volume 1, Number 8
Richard Mark
Issue # 8
Destinys Destination

Copyright1994
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
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I must find a companion for an

imaginary vacation, begis the
Mentalist, One whose mind is in
tune with mine. He gestures toward
a woman who will have easy access to
the stage and asks, Would you join
me on this escape from reality? Dont
wory, well have a chaperon. This
fellow here, indicating a man seated
nearby, will come along, too.
When they join him, the performer
produces a memo pad and a packet of
travel brochures clipped together with a
spring clamp. A long loop of ribbon is
strung through the tabs on the clamp.
Making a notation on the pad, the Mentalist
tears off the top sheet, folds it in quarters, and inserts the folded
billed under the edge of the brochure clip. The clipped packet is
hung by the ribbon around the chaperons neck.
Ive writtn my choice of transportation. Which do you suppose,
the performer says with a twinkle, of all the worlds airlines, is my
whimsical preference? She says aloud her choice. He nods sagely.
Then the Mentalist takes pen & pad in hand and makes a
second notation which is also quarter-folded and slipped under the
edge of the clip, joining the first billet.
The second slip bears the name of the credit card used to fund
this illusory journey. Dont limit your imagination to the common
ones; this fantasy fare might be charged to a gas copany, shoe store,
or electronics outlet, too. She
This routine is a
names a particular credit card.
variation on one
Now for the destination. The
published in
Mentalist generates a third folded
Richard Marks
note, adds it to the others under the
edge of the clip, and pulls the travel
brand new book,
brochures free, leaving the three
The Phantom
billets in the clip.
Hand.
Of all these exotic locations,
Beirut, Mogadishu, Chernobyl, Sarajevo..., asks the Mentalist,
fanning the 8 to 10 brochures for her selection, which do you think
is our destinys destination? She indicates one of them.
The performer removes the 3 billets from the clip and hands
them to the chaperon. Recounting the choices, the Mentalist says,
My companion senses that our fantasy vacation will be to Rio de
Janerio, via Qantas Airlines, and will be charged on a Neiman
Marcus card. Please open the slips and confirm our compatibility.
Please turn to DESTINY, page 36
33
Phil Goldstein & Stephen Minch
One Point Five

The performer places five envelopes on the table. Each, he
explains, contains a card bearing a simple design. A prediction is
placed inside a participants pocket. He is given a free choice of any
envelope. The contents of the other envelopes are shown to be all
different. The card from the chosen envelope is removed; it bears a
diamond. The prediction is opened - it bears a matching diamond.
The method is an outgrowth of Tony Corindas The Third
Choice (from Step 4 of Thirteen Steps to Mentalism, 1958). The
envelopes are opaque, of the end-opening pay envelope variety,
with the flaps cut off. They are ungimmicked; the cards are not.
One of the cards is made from blank-faced playing card stock
with a printed back design. On the face of this card is a triangle.
The other four cards are made from double-blank stock, and have
drawings on both sides. One side of each bears a diamond; the other
side has some other design (circle, square, star, heart).
The triangle card goes into its envelope face-up. The others go
in diamond-side-down. Prepare a prediction forecasting the choice
of the diamond and youre ready to begin.
Deal the envelopes into a tabled row so that the one
containing the triangle card is closest to the participant. (If you
wish, mark the triangle envelope and thus allow the participant to
mix the envelopes. Retrieve the envelopes and deal them
haphazardly in a row, positioning the marked one nearest to the
person.)
Put the folded prediction message in the participants pocket.
Explain that only one envelope contains the same design as on the
prediction paper, and therefore, Four of the envelopes must be
eliminated. Direct the participant to point to any envelope.
If any other than the triangle envelope is designated, pick it up
and say, This is the one you felt compelled to select. As you put it
back on the table, away from the row, turn the envelope over.
Gesture toward the envelope nearest the participant and ask
the person to remove its contents as you say, Lets see what you
didnt select. He removes the triangle card. Because this is a
legitimate card it can be freely handled. The implication is that all
of the cards are free from guile and could also be handled by the
participant.
Of course, they are not, so you must extract the cards from the
remaining envelopes yourself. When you do this, convey the idea
that youre taking over in order to speed things up. Pull each card
from its envelope, displaying the assorted null designs. Finally,
remove the card from the selected envelope; because it was
previously turned over, the diamond design will show.
If the chosen envelope contains the triangle, continue by
saying, Fine, weIl eliminate that one. Push it aside and have the
participant designate three more, one by one, for elimination. The
remaining envelope, defined as the chosen one, contains a doubleracer. You can proceed as already described.
34
Publisher Stephen
Minch and innovator
Phil Goldstein possess
two of the most
creative minds in
Mentalism.
Chuck Hickok
Vested Interest
Chuck Hickok is a
successful corporate
training consultant
who insists on making
his presentations
strong and believable.
If I asked you to mention a vegetable, begins the Mentalist,

your response would likely be carrot. More often than not, your first
choice of a playing card is apt to be the Queen of Hearts.
The performer continues, Studies show that rose is the flower
most often mentioned, while seven is the favorite single digit
number. As you might imagine then, were I to ask you to give me a
single word, there might very well be a predictable response.
The Mentalist pulls from his pocket the new Websters
NewWorld Vest Pocket Dictionary. A word at random from a
dictionary of over 15,000 entries, however, will ensure a fair
selection.
A participant from the audience is asked to help. The performer
instructs, Use your thumb to push open the dictionary at the top and
peek at the first word on the page. Dont open the pages too far; no
one else should see your choice. Do you have the word in your mind?
Is it one you recognize?
When the helper answers in the affirmative, the performer
picks up a sketch pad and crayon. He says, Place your hand on my
wrist, close your eyes, and concentrate on the word in your mind. Do
nothing to restrict my movement; just focus on the word.
The Mentalists hand, wrist held by the participant, begins to
slice back and forth over the page. The crayon touches the page here
and on the return stroke, there. Line by line, an image begins to
form. What, asks the performer, is the word in your mind?
When the participant says the word aloud, the sketch pad is
turned toward the audience; it bears the very same word!
Please keep the dictionary with my compliments, says
the Mentalist to the participant, as a souvenir both of
this moment and of this tremendous round of
applause youve earned.
File this method in your the airline lost my
props file. Only the dictionary, pad, crayon, and a few
moments time are required.
The size of the dictionary, at only 190 pages, limits the
word selection to one of 95 possible choices. Restrict the
selection to the center section and the range is narrowed further.
When the participant thumbs open a page to look at the top
the index word on the following page is there for you to
glimpse. It supplies the key which unlocks the memorized
association youve made between the two words. Because each set is
an alliterative word-pair such as stoop-stain, mystery-mood, and
chord-chalk the associative process is made simpler still.
A mnemonic (memory) system, such as those found in Harry
Loraynes books, is a priceless asset for the contemporary Mentalist
and is surprisingly easy to learn. Used in secret support of your
efforts, its a powerful tool. Yes, you can make a hidden crib sheet
with the words in tabular form. Written is fine; mnemonic is better.
35
Editors Desk
You Might Like...

I seldom recommend magic tricks, but this one is clever and well
made. It is a small, chrome plated, skeleton key about 3 inches long.
The flag (the part which goes into the keyhole) is visibly rotated
around the shaft and then moved halfway toward the head of the
key. Hand it out with confidence, knowing that they will find no
moving parts. Forgot the name. About $50, from Market Magic,
1501 Pike Place, #427, Seattle, WA, 98101, 206 624-4271.
Richard Marks new book on the workings, history, and routines
with the Ostin Switch Clip is priced at $25.00 and comes with an
improved clip, too. Order from him at (305) 857-9317 or write to:
Richard Mark, 3 Grove Isle Drive, #702, Coconut Grove, FL 33133.
The typo gremlin struck in issue #7. The contributor for The
68th Parallel spells his name: Chris Hurlbert, with an e.
Recovering from surgery: Melania Magus - prognosis excellent!
DESTINY, continued
The slips accurately predict airline, credit card, and destination!
He closes with, Were you reading my mind, or was I reading yours?
This routine employs an Ostin Switch Clip, made from a HuntBoston Bulldog clip with a rubber band looped around the tubular
spring, between the tabs and jaws. A folded paper the same size as
the billet is hooked over the band inside the clip. When the billet is
drawn out between the clips jaws, the elastic band stretches.
Squeeze the clip open and the paper disappears inside.
Prepare a handful of 3-panel, Z folded travel brochures by
razoring a slit in each center panel to hold (and conceal) a folded
billet bearing the name of that brochures destination.
The packet of brochures is placed in the jaws of the clamp. The
dummy billet is drawn out of the clip on the back side of the packet.
The first memo you write is a dummy which you only pretend to
slide under the clips jaws; it is really finger palmed. The brochures
provide plenty of cover. When you hang the looped clip around the
chaperons neck, the side showing the billet is facing out.
Write the airline on the second memo. The audience thinks youre
writing credit card info. That billet is really placed under the clips
jaws. Thumb and fingers spread the billet open to make it appear as
two slips because, as you open the clip, the visible dummy billet will
vanish into the clip. Again, the brochures supply plenty of cover.
When the audience sees you writing the destination memo, you
are again one behind, inking the credit card name. It is openly
placed alongside the other two (?) already in the clip.
Remove the brochures from the clips jaws for the participants
selection. When one is chosen, slip your thumb inside and pull the
hidden billet into your hand. With the same hand, remove the other
billets from the clip. Hand all three to the chaperon to open & read.
36
Volume 1, Number 9
Derek Renfro
Issue # 9
Tarot Tin

Copyright1994
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
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World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
For those who do card readings,

especially in an entertainment
venue, it is often desirable to
finish the reading on a
positive note. One common
practice has been to force a
single, favorable card with
which to conclude your
layouts interpretation.
Heres a force thats simple
as can be and works with several
cards, which can help conclude your reading with extra impact.
Obtain a small, decorative tin box which is just large enough to
hold your deck of cards. These items are plentiful during the
holiday season and can be found in many different department and
import stores. The tin boxes usually have overlapping lids and
recessed bottoms. The recessed bottom is the key to this idea.
Conceal two or three (or more, if you wish) cards in the recessed
bottom and place the remainder of the deck inside the box proper.
A rubber band around the whole works holds the lid and hidden
cards in place. (Editors note: In actual use, the force cards would
be face up, but that doesnt make nearly as nice an illustration.)
Slip the rubber band from the box and place the box flat on your
palm. Remove the lid and turn it over, so the opening is up. Drop
the box bottom into the face up lid, which transfers the force cards
to the lid. Turn over the nested box and lid to dump out the deck.
While your participants attention is on mixing the cards for the
reading, lift the empty box up and out of the lid. Its an easy thing
to turn the lid over while holding the
cards hidden beneath. The box is
Derek is an
offered as a depository for the deck.
advertising
Place the lid on the box (adding the
specialties dealer
held out force cards to the top of the
who, when he
deck) and hand the closed box to your
performs, does only
participant to hold between her hands
Mentalism.
as she visualizes her question.
When she opens the box and hands
the cards to you, the first cards dealt
will be your force cards. Obviously these are the last ones to be
interpreted in your reading.
While analyzing some of the random cards in your layout, you
make comments such as, This card, when combined with the (name
of first force card), is always a sign of good fortune. Reinforced with
(name of 2nd force card) its an indication of long term benefits.
When those very cards turn up near the end of the reading, they
will validate your early comments and delight your participant.
37
Allen B. Brannum
Graph-ometery
The human mind speaks in many languages and dialects,
begins the Mentalist, It communicates non-verbally as well. A
raised eyebrow translates into an awesome range of commentary; a
shrug bears its own message. Nature allows some species, people
included, to interact through scent and aroma. Is it so surprising
then, that our handwriting has distinguishing characteristics
which reveal hidden attitudes, aptitudes, and even thoughts?
The performer hands each of several persons a pen and a folded
checklist, about the size of a greeting card. On the inside page,
please write a sentence or two in your everyday handwriting. The
only restrictions are that the statements must be truthful and you
must reveal something personal about yourself.
After the participants have begun writing, the Mentalist
addresses one more person, Take one of these checklists and, just
for fun, write a personal statement which is false. Please dont
write something obviously untrue such as my nose is missing. The
sentence must read true but be factually incorrect. Understand?
After the checklists have been collected and mixed, the
performer takes them and reads the first one. He notes certain
formations and characteristics in the handwriting sample and
then checks on the cards interior tic sheet some of the
traits they reveal. He makes an appropriate (and usually
humorous) comment about each participants statement and
then declares whether the sentence is truthful.
After analyzing all of the samples, he identifies the
fraudulent specimen and returns that checklist to its owner,
saying, Playing detective isnt difficult with a person as
naturally honest as you are. Sherlock Holmes could have
stuffed Moriarity and Watson into the holes in this alibi. Youre
a lousy fibber.
Continuing, the peformer relates, This next specimen tells me
that the writer is generous, impulsive, and strong willed. What
most people find fascinating is that your unspoken communication
is shouting the very same thing! He hands the card to one of the
participants and declares, This is your handwriting, isnt it? The
Mentalist correctly returns each sample, then takes his applause.
Allen indexes his tic sheets (modified from a 1950's era Robert
Nelson checklist) in a very subtle manner: with a sharp pencil, he
lightly shades in one side of the ( ) parenthesis next to a different
characteristic on each card (look next to Romantic). His check
marks cover the evidence before the checklists are returned.
Heres a no-brainer mnemonic which will free your mind to
focus on entertaining the audience: A different trait, one of the top
four, is shaded on each of the first four cards. Using the example
list, one card goes to someone who looks affectionate. Another
recipient appears speculative, a 3rd is romantic, etc. Easy to
remember.
The fibber takes one of the remaining, unmarked checklists.
38
Allen, an avid fan of

Robert Nelsons
work, is always
looking for original
Nelson manuscripts
and products to add
to his collection.
Paul Alberstat
Elemental Assembly
A background as a
college theatre
major and 27 years
of performing savvy
have prepared Paul
for his 1984 debut as
a full-time pro
While I dont necessarily share their beliefs, begins the

performer, ancient peoples worshiped what they perceived as the
four elements; fire, air, water, and earth. Rituals were built around
incantations of this omnipotent quartet. Sometimes, even modern
people are amazed at their coincidental powers. Let me show you.
The Mentalist takes out five business cards and, on the back of
each, writes one of those four ancient elements. On the fifth card,
he writes the first names of two participants.
Handing the cards to one helper, he requests, Please mix the
five papers into a random distribution. Once that has been
accomplished, he takes the cards and tears the stack exactly in half,
depositing one half on top of the other. A little more randomization
couldnt hurt, says the Mentalist, mixing the packet of half-cards.
Directing his remarks at participant #1, he continues, You will
hold five of these. The others will be entrusted to this gentleman.
The top five half-cards are dealt into a pile in front of helper #1.
Helper #2 receives the second group.
The influence of the four elements is little understood, but can
often be made to manifest itself through ritual. Lets begin with
fire. For every letter in the word fire please transfer one half-card
from the top of its group to the bottom. You may decide between
yourselves which of you transfers a half-card on each letter spelled,
but only one piece, from either group, may be moved for each letter.
The Mentalist slowly spells F-I-R-E as the helpers move a halfcard from either pile for each letter spoken. When the word is
spelled, he places the top half-card from both packets to one side.
A-I-R is spelled next. The top half-cards from both packets are
placed aside, in line with the previously discarded pair. The
procedure is repeated for W-A-T-E-R and E-A-R-T-H. That final
pair is tabled, aligned with the first 4 sets. The performer remarks,
Notice that I placed the center pair forward of the others? When
those half-cards are turned over, they bear the helpers names!
The performer says, It might be mere coincidence which led the
two of you through the decision process which led to this final
match. But I dont think so. The mystery of Fire, Air, Water, and
Earth can not be so easily explained. He turns over each of the
remaining tabled pairs all four sets are the matching halves to
Fire, Air, Water, and Earth!
This idea is about as close to a magic trick as you will ever see in
SYZYGY, but its presentation justifies inclusion. The method is
embarassingly simple. After the cards are torn and assembled in
one packet, your shuffle is really a series of complete cuts, leaving
the order undisturbed. The five pieces given to the first helper are
dealt singly, reversing their order The rest is automatic. Almost.
The name card is nicked or marked, so when it comes up after a
spelled word you can spot it and place it on the table accordingly.
39
Editors Desk
Kudos, Corrections, & Comments

Performance - The International Touring Talent Weekly
Newspaper recently published its ballot for the top five touring
variety/family shows for 1994. Sharing the spotlight with
Copperfield, Barney, Disneys World on Ice, and Campbell Soups
Figure Skating Tour was Mentalist, SYZYGY subscriber, and
good friend Craig Karges! As many of you know, Craig has also
been twice named Entertainer of the Year by the National
Association of Campus Activities. Well done, Craig.
Jack Dean writes to remind that if you liked Vested Interest
from Chuck Hickok, you will love Miracle Pocket Dictionary
Test from Phantinis Greatest Mental Secrets by Gene Grant.
I can wholeheartedly recommend any of the Phantini titles.
They all reside in my library and theres some very good stuff in
those pages, even if I dont remember it all when I should.
This Jungian Universal Consciousness stuff is driving me nuts!
Linguistic Deception, from Kenton Knepper in QS#1, brought to
mind for Germanys Ted Lesley Psycho-Bell, one of many
excellent pieces in Fourth Dimensional Mysteries by Punx.
That books publisher, Craige Snader (Alex Redans) turned his
final page November 26th, at age 65, due to heart failure.
Anyone familiar with the quality which Ted Lesleys Wonder
Workshop builds into its props wont be disappointed with his latest
offering: an improved version of Himbers Slately Sensational. One
of the chief benefits is that the slate, at 16 x 20 inches, is large
enough for any stage. One side of the slate is covered with paper;
the other side is used to record a series of random choices. The
paper is torn off and on the previously covered side of the slate,
written in a different color of chalk, is the Mentalists matching
prediction! Contact Ted at Friedrich-Wilhelm-Platz 4, 12161 Berlin.
Teds English is excellent so you can phone 49 30 857-6861. Please
mind the time zones; 6:00p.m. in New York is midnight in Berlin!
Lots of kind wishes from SYZYGY readers who wrote, phoned,
FAXed, e-mailed, and otherwise conveyed their congratulations on
my December M-U-M cover and interior articles. Its wonderful to be
so honored, not only by the Society of American Magicians magazine
and M-U-M editor David Goodsell, but also by my friends around
the world. Thank you.
U.S. postal rates go up January 1, 1995. No effect on current
subscriptions and charter subscribers can renew at the current price.
New rates? Up about $2 for the U.S. & Canada, a bit more overseas.
Lecture alert: I will be lecturing in Tampa, Florida on Tuesday
January 17th and in Orlando on Sunday, January 22nd. For time &
place details, contact Bill Dahlquist (813) 882-9541 (Tampa) and
Bev Bergeron (407) 351-1324 (Orlando). See you there.
May you enjoy the blessings of this holiday season and fill your
New Year with health, prosperity, wisdom, peace, and love.
40
Volume 1, Number 10
Larry Becker
Issue # 10
No-Brainer Q & A

Copyright1994
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Have you heard the expression, He wears his feelings on his

sleeve? How about, She has guilt written all over her face? Those
statements refer to a tendancy we all have to betray our thoughts
and emotions through facial expressions and body language. It
takes a world class liar to avoid leaving telltale clues.
The Mentalist hands several participants in the audience
preprinted 3" x 5" cards. Printed on one side only, the cards ask for
the same information, such as Zodiac sign, month & day of birth,
favorite color, name & phone number of a close friend, lucky
number, favorite movie or TV personality, etc.
While the information you are writing is hardly in the category
of personal or critical, there is enough emotion addressed so that, if
you answer the questions honestly, we can show an interesting
correlation between you and your answers. Please turn your
completed cards writing side down and pass them forward to this
person (indicating the closest of the 4 or 5 participants) for mixing.
The Mentalist takes the face down cards and gives them an
additional shuffle, then turns the top card over to read the
responses to the questions. Judging by the handwriting on this
sample (showing the writing side of the card to the audience and
handing the remainder of the cards to a front row participant), we
are dealing with a woman here. According to her statements, she is
a Leo. That means that she is a no-nonsense person who can be
highly competitive, sometimes even to a fault. Her lucky number is
three, so I imagine that she finds pleasures in the details of her
accomplishments. It says here that Brad Pitt is her screen idol and
that her favorite color is red. Those indicate passion, you know.
The performer walks to one of the participants, shows the card
to her and says, This is your
information, isnt it? You can be read
Larry Becker was
like a book.
the co-owner of a
To the packet-holding helper, the
successful East
Mentalist asks, Another card, please.
Coast advertising
For each successive card, the performer agency. No wonder
delivers a short cold reading based on
he writes such good
the information penned in and
product copy!
unerringly identifies each originator.
Were down to one final card and one set of thoughts. It doesnt
take a rocket scientist to deduce the person to whom they belong, so
well take a different approach. Rather than looking at what youve
written and describing your attributes, Ill look at you and take a
stab at how you might have answered the questions. Think first of
your birthday. Probably a summer child, a Gemini-Cancer cusp,
correct? June 22nd, I would guess. How am I doing so far?
Please think of your close friend and of that persons telephone
Please turn to NO-BRAINER, page 44
41
George St. James
Deep Sea Digits

Immediately after being introduced, the Mentalist announces
that he normally begins the show with some mental calisthenics to
warm up his mind.
Lets use numbers this time, he suggests, and picks up a fairly
large slate, marker board, or writing pad. Random digits, zero
through nine are what were after. Lots of them. He points to
someone in the front row and asks, Give me a single digit, please.
The first digit is written down and a second participant is
fingered for input. That digit is suffixed to the the first,
constructing a two-digit number.
We need lots more, and we need them quickly. How about one
from you (indicating a third person)? That digit is written and the
Mentalist directs, This is going to take all night unless we speed
things up. Dont wait for me to point, just shout out a number.
Someone in the audience shouts, Seven! and that digit is
appended to the running series. Another shout and another digit is
penned. One after another, an incredibly long number is generated,
perhaps 25 or 30 digits long, written large for all to easily see.
Heres where it gets fun, says the performer, because its my
job to memorize all of these in exact order.
He takes just a moment to look at the series of digits, then hands
the board and pen to someone close, asking that participant to strike
through each successfully remembered digit. The Mentalist stands
to the rear of the board, placing the number out of his sight.
Starting slowly and gaining speed, he recalls from his memory
each digit in the series! A good showman, he will always miss a
couple in the middle of the run and ask the audience to concentrate
on them, transitioning from a memory demonstration into
something much stronger. At routines end, the audience cheers
their encouragement.
The method is disarmingly simple: The first four digits are
genuinely obtained at random from the audience and written
down. These are easily memorized. From that point on, all
of the digits written are a pre-memorized sequence which
the performer only pretends to hear called out.
With a large group of people and only ten digits
possible, often the the next digit in your memorized
sequence will be called out by someone close by. Speak
to that person and ask that he repeat his number before you
openly append it to the end of the string.
Dont worry about memorizing an impossibly long number for
this purpose. You already have. Use the mnemonic S-T-A-B to
string together your Social Security number, Telephone number,
Address, and Birthdate.
Discover for yourself how impressive this old chestnut can be.
42
George, a seagoing
musician turned
cruise ship
Mentalist, credits
E.R. Hutchison for
this pieces
inspiration.
Lee Earle
Keys Royale
Ill tip a method in

the next issue in
which you lock the
lock through the
participants ring!
He regains it when
he opens the lock.
Intuition is defined as the ability to make accurate decisions

with limited information. This gut feeling often provides the
narrow margin necessary for success, and is easily tested. For
example, I have a number of keys and a lock which is opened by
none of them. You, sir, are now the official tester. Please try
each key in the lock. When youre convinced a key wont work,
discard it in this plastic tumbler. After all six keys tried, the
Mentalist hands a 7th key to the helper. Try this one. Unlike
my brother-in-law, it works. Good. Close the lock and drop both
key and lock in the tumbler. Thank you.
The reason keys function is because each one is cut to a
different pattern. Only the key which matches the locks
pattern will turn. You had it in your hand; did you make note
of the pattern? No? Of course you did, or at least your
subconscious mind did. Now lets put that subconscious to work.
Reach inside and remove one key. Show it to your brain. Now
go with your gut feeling. If you feel that it is not the proper key, put
it back and take another. You may exchange as many times as you
wish. When you sense you have the right one, say so.
Once the participant is satisfied that his choice process is
complete, the performer hands him the lock from the cup and sets
the cup containing the other keys aside and says, Your odds of
random success are 1 in 7. But when you follow your sixth sense,
your intuition, you cannot fail. Try that key and never doubt your
intuition again. Success!
Seven luggage size locks are used, each with its key secretly
marked. I use the round head of the key as a clock face and dimple
both sides of the key with a counterpunch at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, & 12
oclock. The 7th key is unmarked. Use a file to notch each lock
along one edge, with one through six nicks, which can be felt and
counted with a fingernail in the pocket as a failsafe doublecheck.
Locks 1 thru 6 are stashed in a pocket index, by number. Once
you see which key has been selected, the matching lock is retrieved
from the index and held concealed in your hand. The cup is held
with the other hand; the fingers inside the cup, thumb on the
outside. When you reach into the cup, take the cups lock and hide
it under the fingers holding the cup as you withdraw your hand,
bringing the indexed lock into view. If his key is unmarked, it fits
the original lock and you have nothing to do but take the applause.
For an elegant variation, use a faceted, stemmed glass and
conceal a strong magnet in your hand. It attracts the locks steel
hasp and retains the lock inside the glass, hidden by cupped fingers.
Locks with non-magnetic brass keys prevent nasty complications.
Dump the keys from the glass onto the lock hidden in your hand.
Let your helper take the lock while you drop the leftover keys back
into the glass to conceal the lock.
43
Editors Desk
Ad Infinitum...
The clever key on which the bit mysteriously relocates halfway
up the keys shaft (plugged in issue #9) is the actually the brainchild
of George Robinson at Viking Magic. First marketed in 1991, its
called Kineti-Key, and is available in two sizes: 4 1/2" long at
$97.50, and a 3" size (gold plated) for $47.50. A European
manufacturer has been knocking off this item, selling it to
unsuspecting dealers all over the world. Now they, and you, can
purchase from the originator. Call George Robinson at 210 3803929.
The Psychic Entertainers Association has a great lineup of
international talent scheduled to appear at the Meeting Of The
Minds this June, in Seattle. The P.E.A. runs a closed convention, so
if youre not a member but want to rub elbows with the best of the
best, you should start the 90-day application process right away.
The P.E.A. Membership Chairman is Doug Dyment, 415 647-7754.
Personal plans are under way for U.S. & Canada lecture tours
this fall. Ireland and England are scheduled for Spring of 1996 with
Australia and New Zealand set for August, 1996. Tentative title for
the lecture series: SYZYGYs BEST! To bring it to your area, have
your local group get in touch with me right away.
Holiday season shows outnumber the rest of the years dates
combined and that really puts a crimp in my publishing schedule.
SYZYGY will be back on track after the next issue. Thanks.
NO-BRAINER, continued
number. Is it 247-7323? Picture the person who answers the
phone. I see a man named James. Your favored color is blue, your
lucky number is eleven, and you adore Dustin Hoffman. Yes? Yes!
The cards ask for identical information, but employ Lee Earles
no-brainer technique. On the first card, the color question asks,
Circle the color you favor most: Blue Yellow Red Green. The
next cards question lists, Yellow Red Green Blue. The final
two cards list, Red Green Blue Yellow and Green Blue Yellow
Red.
Your key is the first color listed. Look in the audience for the
most vibrant splash of that clothing color and give that card to the
person wearing it. When you look at each response, find the key
color to address your cold reading remarks to the proper person.
The revelation of the info on the final card, which the onstage
helper never gives to you, is a typical Becker concept. After the top
card is turned over to read the info, pick up the entire stack as you
show the writing to the front row. The data on the bottom card will
be staring you in the face! Memorize what you can for playback at
the end of your presentation. Delay a few moments after the packet
is back in your hand, then hand the lot (except for the face up top
card) to your helper. By the time you reach the final card, no one
will remember that the packet was ever in your hands..
44
Volume 1, Number 11
Bev Bergeron
Issue # 11
Childs Play

Copyright1994
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
We all have dreams which

presage future events, begins
the Mentalist, but these
premonitions are useless unless
we awaken and remember them.
And, altogether too often, they
forcast the trivial far more
regularly than the crucial. Still, its
a concept with which we can have
some fun.
Applying a marking pen to a
sizable square of posterboard, the
performer takes a few moments to sketch (on the side away from
the audience) an impression. He says, This is a from a little dream
I had last night. It involved a competition. He signs the bottom of
his artwork and places it aside.
You appear, the performer remarks to a person near the stage,
to be a person who can be a high achiever. Come up here with me.
We have a use for that competitive spirit.
The participant is shown a second square of posterboard,
identical in size to the one just placed aside by the performer. The
Mentalist continues, You must promise me that in our contest, you
will exercise every effort to win. Agreed? Youre already familiar
with the rules...
While speaking, the performer has drawn four lines on the
panel, two parallel and horizontal, the other two parallel and
vertical. They make the grid for the childrens game of Tic-Tac-Toe,
or as it is known in other countries, Naughts & Crosses.
The object of the game is simple.
I mark my move in an empty square
Bev has forgotten
with an X and you use an O. We
more material than
take turns until one of us wins with
most of us will ever
three in a straight line, or until there
learn. Its a real
are no empty squares remaining.
treat to be able to
Remember, you must try to win.
feature his
X goes first, smiles the
thinking.
Mentalist, placing his mark in the
center square. He hands the pen and board to the participant who
choses his move and marks the square with an O. Taking back the
board, the performer studies it and places his X in an empty
square. The participant and the performer alternate making their
entries until all the squares are marked.
It looks as if neither of us can claim victory. I have the idea,
the Mentalist says, that we could do this all evening and remain
tied. So instead, how about signing your work for posterity?
Please turn to CHILDS PLAY, page 52
45
Samuel Hawley
News-Wordy
Some words evoke compelling images, begins the Mentalist,
and others are almost impossible to picture in our minds. For
example, we can easily picture an incision (a surgical opening of the
skin) but cannot form a mental image of a recision (to cut back or
cancel). Picture words are easier to remember; they evoke greater
emotional responses and are better suited for non-verbal
communication.
Indicating a man in the audience, the performer informs, A few
moments ago I supplied a newspaper and a pen to this gentleman. I
requested that he go into another room and circle a word printed in
that paper. Do you still have both the paper and the pen, sir? Yes?
Join me in front of the audience if you would.
Once he is on stage, the Mentalist asks, Please tell everyone
how we met this evening and how you acted on my instructions.
The helper describes meeting the performer prior to the show
and recounts being handed a newspaper and a ball point pen. He
recalls being asked to take the paper to a spot well away from
anyone else to select and circle one word on the page.
My only restriction, interrupts the Mentalist, was that the
word be a picture word, as I described a moment ago.
Continuing, the participant describes finding his word, circling
it, folding the newspaper, and then taking his seat in the audience.
Now you must place that image foremost in your mind. Dont
think of the word as it sounds or as it is spelled. Instead, says the
performer, form a detailed image of what that word represents.
Taking a sketch pad in hand, the Mentalist instructs, Place your
hand lightly on my wrist, but dont restrict my movement. As I run
the marker over the page, just focus on that image. It may help to
close your eyes, but keep your contact with my wrist.
Slowly the pen begins to dart over the pad, dropping here
and there to put a dot or line on the paper. The marks
accumulate and begin to form a rough image. With a spark
of insight, the Mentalist quickly adds lines and shading
until a recognizable form develops.
Drawn on the pad is a rough image of a bulldozer.
What, asks the Mentalist, was your focus word?
Says the helper, Bulldozer!
Pre-show, you give a folded section of paper and an inkless pen to
your helper. So he wont change his mind later, instruct him to find
the one word on the page he can most easily visualize, and circle it.
In his attempt to get the pen to write, hell press down harder.
You notice his frustration and hand him another pen. Take back
all but the sheet which bears his word and suggest that he go into
another room to circle that word. The page which was behind his
will have an indented impression of his circle. A duplicate of his
page will supply the word at that location.
46
Dont be afraid to
allow the
participant to
describe your preshow work in his
own words, Samuel
advises. Its much
more convincing.
Chris Hurlburt
Kid Vision
A Connecticut
resident, Chris has
recently completed a
series of corporate
dates in Puerto Rico
As children, we are born with an incredible set of intuitive

skills. But more often than not, continues the Mentalist, our
education stresses fact over feeling and head over heart until
those marvelous abilities wither from lack of use. Its a pity.
The open mind of a child can teach us a great deal.
Showing a folded packet of paper, the performer says, I
brought along a drawing my 4-year old son made. Ill share it
with you shortly. He lent me his playing cards, too.
A home with children can be defined as a place where
every deck of cards numbers between 47 and 51. For example,
as a kid, I used clothespins to attach playing cards through the
spokes of my bicycle to make a motorcycle sound. So its not
likely that this deck of cards is complete.
Spreading the deck face up for a participant to see, the
Mentalist instructs, Rather than look for a card which may not
be there, just allow your finger to fall at random on any of
these. The helper does as he is asked.
Interesting. Keep your finger on the face of that card for a
moment while I show you something interesting about the
others. The performer gathers the face up cards, turns the deck
face down and spreads it to show the backs of all the cards.
Please note, he says, that, except for the occasional jelly stain or
chocolate smear, there is nothing unusual about these. All of them
have red backs. The cards are placed back in their box.
But if youll turn over your random selection you may be
surprised. The selected card has a Barney the Dinosaur back!
The Mentalist continues, I guess to a 4-year old, thats a logical
way to replace a missing card. What I cant figure out is this... He
opens the folded paper and shows a childs crayon drawing. The
stick figure on the page was drawn holding the selected card!
Half of a regular deck is combined with half of a childrens
novelty deck (avoid 4's, 10's, and Ks). The backs of the novelty
cards and the faces of the regular cards are treated with roughing
spray. Arranged in pairs with the roughed sides facing each other,
the deck can be spread to show only standard backs. Spread face
up, only the novelty card faces can be fingered.
The crayon drawing is made, as illustrated, with a black wax
pencil (Listo lead) leaving the playing card blank. A Listo Lead
nail writer allows you to secretly fill in the card name. (The cards
you avoided earlier require multiple strokes.) Fold the drawing, left
side under the right side. Next, fold both right edges under. Fold
the top edge down and the bottom edge up to the centerline. The
bottom half of the packet folds under, at the centerline.
Place the folded packet atop the cased deck and slip your thumb
writer beneath the top fold to write the cards name when all
attention is on seeing the chosen cards novelty back design.
47
Editors Desk
More Musings
A recent visit to central Florida put me in the audience at the
Orlando Ring 170 annual banquet. The highlight of the evening was
the surprised look on an old friends face when he learned that,
henceforth, the Ring would be known as the Bev Bergeron Ring.
Bev shared the spotlight, as Rebo the Clown, with Mark Wilson
on The Magic Land of Alakazam, a nationally broadcast Saturday
morning magic television program. He also headlined for years
(almost 20?) in the revues at the Diamond Horseshoe Saloons in the
Disney theme parks. Bev was recently elected as International Vice
President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.
Mark Strivings (of Flagstaff, AZ) is now offering a series of
mental presentations based on some of Ted Annemanns most
diabolic creations. Included in the line are, Seven Keys to Baldpate,
Par-Optic Plus, As in a Mirror Darkly, Cagliostros Crystal and
others. You can call for his catalog sheets at (602) 774-0804.
Docc Hilford has just scored a coup in the psychic vortex
country of Sedona, AZ, producing sances for folks inclined to speak
to the spirits at a local resort. Its sort of Bed & Breakfast Bizarre.
Remember Topologo from issue #7? Ive made up four similar but
ungimmicked logo sheets to match. Distribute all five among the
audience, but tear & destroy only the force sheet. Theyll get brain
cramps trying to backtrack from the sheets left behind. The set of
five, printed on gloss paper for perfect photocopying and mailed flat,
is US$7.50 (US$10.00 overseas air mail).
Im looking for Road Hustler, published by Kaufman, now out of
print. Let me know if you are willing to part with your copy.
CHILDS PLAY, continued
The participant writes his signature below the grid.
Remember the dream sketch I made earlier? It was about this
moment. The Mentalist turns his prediction to face the audience.
The sketch is an exact duplicate of the game just played!
The secret is simple. Begin by making your prediction exactly
as in the illustration. Sign it at the bottom and set it aside.
You control the final X and O pattern by first taking the center
square. If the participant responds in a corner, every subsequent
X you make will be immediately clockwise from each O. Should
his first mark be in an edge square, all of your X marks will be
placed directly counter clockwise from his most recent O.
The posterboards must be square and the grid must be drawn
leaving wide margins. When your match is complete, show the grid
to the audience, rotating the card so the O-X-O is at the top, to
match your prediction. Then hand it to your participant to sign.
The final rotation arouses no suspicion because during play you
are constantly turning the panel as it is handed back and forth..
48
Volume 1, Number 12
Chris Hurlbert
Issue # 12
Running the Numbers

Copyright1995
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Some people are so emotionally

hooked on playing the lottery that they
will exercise almost any opportunity to
try their luck. Continuing, the
Mentalist states, Absent a real lottery
drawing, they will practice picking and
playing numbers by themselves. I offer
as evidence this novelty pack of
playing cards; instead of colors and
suits, the cards are printed with the
lottery numbers from 1 to 44.
Perhaps indecisive gamblers
use them to help pick their daily
numbers. We will use them for the
same purpose.
Asking a nearby participant
for some assistance, the performer
continues, You can see that the entire range
of numbers is represented, because all the cards are in
numerical order. Your task is to randomize the selection. Give
them a good mixing, please.
After the cards are shuffled, a second participant deals the
pack into 6 piles. The top numbered card of each pile is used to
select one of the numbers drawn in this imaginary lottery.
When the six numbers are displayed, the Mentalist pauses
and then glances toward the card box from which the numbered
pack came. Do you believe in premonition? Until recently, I didnt.
Not really. Not until some strange coincidences began to occur.
Please look at what else is inside that box.
A participant opens the box and removes a slip of paper. It is
a machine-generated lottery ticket;
the numbers printed on the ticket
Chris taps into a
match exactly the numbers just
universal theme in
drawn!
this updated
Its too bad that this only works
presentation for a
after I buy the ticket!
well known
Chris obtained two lotto decks
conjuring effect.
at a variety store in his state (which
has a lottery). After purchasing a
lottery ticket and noting the numbers chosen, he removes those
same numbers from one Lotto deck. They reside in his side pocket
until they are palmed and secretly returned to the top of the other,
complete deck following the shuffle.
He begins dealing cards into a pile on the table, reversing
their order. The bottom 6 cards are the force numbers. When you
are ready for the drawing to begin, he asks, just say start.
Please turn to NUMBERS, page 52
49
Docc Hilford
Mystero
Docc Hilford was trimming the wolfsbane around his home,
when Lee Earle drove up.
Here are the cigars I purchased for you in Miami, Docc.
Great! I havent had a La Gloria Cubana in months. Thanks.
As the two mental marvels enjoyed a good smoke, Docc retrieved
from his garage a tattered shoebox tied with string. It contained a
rubber banded packet of pay envelopes and an old ledger.
I picked this up at an auction a while back. It contains the last
bits of the Mystero Magic Company.
Lees eyes lit up. That company produced those strange magic
kits in the 50s. They went out of business 40 years ago!
Right, the Mad Hatter Headchopper was my favorite of their
manufactured mysteries. Lets try something odd, Lee. Give me a
number between ten and twenty.
O.K., thirteen.
After removing the rubber band, Docc counted thirteen of the
pay envelopes onto the table between the two mages.
Numerologically we should add the two digits together to arrive at
a random number. That would be four.
Docc put four of the envelopes back on the stack, which he
pocketed. He pushed the top envelope from the tabled pile toward
Lee, saying, Here is the pay envelope to which you were drawn.
Docc took a white letter-sized envelope from his pocket. I found
this envelope in the ledger and have waited to open it until you
came over. He put the white envelope back between the pages of
the ledger and closed the book. Examining the chosen pay envelope,
he noted, The name on this reads Mystic Greg and it says it holds
$4.13. Lets see
Docc opened the pay envelope and dumped the bills and change
onto the table. Thats not much pay. Must have been a part time
job. Here, help me open the rest of the pay envelopes on the table.
After emptying the contents of the remaining envelopes, the two
men counted $21.46 in all. Docc handed the white envelope from
the ledger to Lee, who opened it. There was a missive inside:
It was a mistake to use the forces of evil in my business. My
employees have worked for fewer and fewer hours until at last they
have fled in terror. These envelopes contain their final pay.
l have been informed by one of the demons here in the shop, that
on February 6, 1995, Lee Earle and Docc Hilford will open the shoe
box and Lee will choose the 13th pay envelope. It will belong to
Mystic Greg, whose pay will be only $4.13. They will total the money
on the table and the sum will be $21.46.
Lee and Docc, you should spend this money to share your wisdom
with others. Only you can help me make restitution.
Yours, Uncle Baggy
Please turn to MYSTERO, page 52
50
Docc Hilford is a
charter member of the
legendary Six and
One-half, publisher of
The New Invocation,
and a bizzarist
supreme.
Earl Keyser
Five Cast
Earls loves, after

his wife Chris &
daughter Amy,
include music,
Mentalism,
Macintosh, and
photography.
The Mentalist begins by saying, Gambling is an addiction

which really gets under a persons skin. Ive known people to whom
gambling was so important that they would bet on which raindrop
would reach the bottom of the window pane first or which of two
sugar cubes a fly would choose to alight upon.
Some even claim, he continues, a mystical connection to
the next turn of a card or roll of a die. They say that they can
sense which number will come up next.
Id like to test that hypothesis with this six-digit random
number generator. The performer tosses a plastic die onto the
table, allowing it to come to rest to show the top number.
Several more times he rolls the die demonstrating, without
being obvious, the hit-or-miss selection of numbers.
Reaching into his pocket, the Mentalist brings out a cylindrical
black plastic canister, the type in which 35mm film is packaged. I
want you to ensure that the little container is totally opaque, he
says, handing it to the participant to examine. Hold it behind your
back. Take the die, turn it several times, then drop it inside and
snap the lid on. Shake it a little, while youre at it.
At this point, no one can know which side of the die is up.
Only by removing the lid and peering inside can we know for sure.
Let me hold the container for a moment.
Taking the film canister in his hand and extending his arm, the
performer closes his eyes and rolls up the sleeve on that arm. He
breathes slowly; his eyelids flutter. Taking a bit of ash from the
end of his cigar, he rubs it lightly on his arm. Slowly, as if by force
of will alone, an image begins to develop on his bare skin. The
number 5 takes shape.
Lets open the lid and check the results, says the Mentalist.
He lifts off the canisters top, looks inside, and smiles. Showing the
die within to the assembled group, with a 5 on top, he remarks,
That kind of felt like a five...
A film can, a set of novelty dice, a sliver of soap, and
presentation all work in concert to produce this delightful piece.
Purchase from your local trick shop one of those sets of mis-spotted
dice. They come with one regular pair and a pair in which one die
is spotted with 5 on all sides, the other is covered with 2s and 6s.
The sliver of soap, whittled to a point, is used to write the
number 5 on your bare forearm. The soap will be invisible until it
collects the rubbed ash, and is easily washed off later.
The film can and the 5-die are in your pocket. One regular die is
brought out and tested. When you reach into your pocket for the
can, cop the 5-die. Hand the canister to be opened and inspected.
While attention is on the can, casually pick up the straight die.
When the participant takes the canister behind his back, reach
behind him and drop the 5-die into his hand.
51
Editors Desk
Miscellaneous Stuff
A quickie lecture date took me there, but a record snowfall made
Salt Lake City a Rocky Mountain winter wonderland. Beautiful!
Plus: great hospitality, a fabulous venue, and eclectic new friends!
Mark Edward reads their beads on Wednesday and Friday
nights, from 7:00p.m. to Midnight at The Lab, a Hermosa Beach, CA
restaurant featuring decor from Elm Street, Addams Family, and
Friday the 13th. Hell fit right in. For Info Call (310) 379-0250.
QS~2 remains a work in progress...soon to see print.
NUMBERS, continued
At that prompt, he instructs Please take those (indicating the
pile on the table) cards in your hand and deal six cards in a row onto
the table. Continue dealing in rotation until all your cards have been
dealt. This process positions the last 6 cards, the force numbers, at
the top their respective piles.
If you find the add-on palm too intimidating, try this: Divide the
deck of cards into several packets given to front-row participants for
individual mixing. The last person gets the group of six force cards.
Gather all the packets and give them a final shuffle, keeping the
critical six cards on the top. Proceed as before.
MYSTERO, continued
The method is clever; the psychological points used to sell it, even
more so. The force of the pay envelope is an old card force wherein
the ninth envelope from the top is Mystic Gregs. The eight pay
envelopes remaining on the table are always the top eight of the
stack, so the total is also forced; a previously undiscovered bonus.
With a limited selection of numbers (11-19), nine white envelopes
are prepared. Each missive contains a different selected number and
has the participants name added just prior to presentation. The
envelopes are body indexed in sets of three, placed in different
pockets. For example, #11, #12, #13 go in the right outside coat
pocket; #14, #15, #16 reside in the inner left pocket; #17, #18, #19
are placed in the inner right pocket of your coat.
Here are the psychological points that are so important: Before
you remove the white envelope, open the ledger and state that an
envelope was found inside it. Remove the correct letter and put it
back in the ledger and close the book, then direct attention to the
chosen pay envelope. When you remove the white envelope from the
ledger, the implanted memory will be that it was there all along!
Totalling the pay from the other 8 envelopes disguises the force.
Finally, by personalizing each letter with information about the
participant, you have given a simple card force trick a personality.
Go forth and ENTERTAIN!
52

Copyright1995
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
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John Riggs
The Southeasts
Greatest Charlatan
53
John Riggs
Nuggets of Knowledge
Knoxville, Tennessee would not seem to be the most fertile turf for
folks in our line of work.
Aside from being one of the half-dozen cities in the U.S. which
can have a legitimate claim to being the buckle of the Bible Belt, it
is also home to the Oak Ridge National Laboratories, a mega-cluster
of left brained, linear thinking, scientific method, bean counting,
professional skeptics.
Not exactly the ideal stomping grounds for a Mentalist.
Dont tell that to John Riggs.
This 37 year old professional has managed to stake his claim to
a limitless mother lode in this seemingly unfriendly territory.
One time engineer, part time Mentalist, and full time
enterpreneur, he has little time for self-congratulation. Thats
because hes busy working psi-parties, company functions, psychic
fairs, and banquet shows.
An expanding percentage of Johns income is generated from
Mentalism. While the cash flow he receives from his conjuring dates
(performed under a pseudonym) is still too lucrative to ignore, his #1
goal is to exchange all of his magic audiences for those groups which
have been shown to pay even more handsomely for Mentalism.
Last December I flew to Nashville, TN and then motored to
Cookville, halfway between Nashville and Knoxville, to meet and
talk with John. He has some very interesting things to say.
Rather than publish a standard Question & Answer interview, I
decided instead to share a few of Johns thoughts in their pure form
and in no particular order:
You may find, as I did, that as you grow as a Mentalist, you will
grow as a human being. Your performances will reflect a new
confidence and consideration for your audience.
Disclaimer: Nothing I do is supernatural or associated
with the occult. Once we get past the goat sacrifice...
I could spend two hours with a skeptic, trying to convince or
convert him, or I could spend two hours marketing on the
telephone. One is frustrating and the other is fulfilling.
Read Zig Ziglar, Napoleon Hill, Anthony Hopkins, et al,
and learn to use the language of motivation.
Its difficult to detox yourself from the magicians mindset but
its mandatory if you wish to achieve any degree of success as a
Mentalist or Psychic Entertainer.
If you can handle the pace and sound fresh on that 30th
reading, psychic fairs can produce a sizable income.
54
John is living the

dream as a full-time
professional
entertainer.
Entertainers are generic. Personality is unique.

Truths change; facts dont.
Dress well. Your wardrobe is your costume and helps
develop your character. Clothes do make the man.
Success at cold reading is as much a matter of style as of
technique. And its never a product of mere memorization.
Premise: I take some of the more obscure and esoteric
branches of psychology and present them in a dramatic
format.
My tombstone will read, As ye harm no other, do as ye will.
There is no market for a fake mentalist.
The true secret to success is persistance. The proof of that is in
the number of bad performers who are working.
My marketing is focused on people who will use my
services in multiples; meeting planners, medium sized
companies, caterers, etc. Even agents.
Theres something very rewarding about getting paid for doing
what you truly enjoy.
I shouldnt have to say this, but a Mentalist should smell
good; breath and body. Youd be surprised how many
performers neglect that essential detail.
Overprice your performance. Youll lose a few lowball dates but
you will gain more respect, and higher fees, in the long run.
When pitching to businesses (trade shows, sales
meetings, company parties, etc.), you can barter a portion
of your fee. Its a win-win situation for both parties.
Printers, dentists, photographers, department stores, and
home improvement outlets are all prime candidates.
Practice before a real audience is essential, but while youre
perfecting your trade, go out of your home market to be bad. Dont
make your mistakes on potential paying customers.
A drawing duplication line I use (lifted from Paul
Diamond): After youve made your drawing, fold the
paper, and sit on it. This will be an exercise in hindsight.
When selling a corporate date you must be a solution, not
someone who presents more problems. Prima donnas are a pain.
55
If you are afraid of offending anyone, you will almost certainly

entertain no one.
Have pre-written articles on hand for inclusion in a
clients in-house newsletter. Supply halftoned photos,
screened at 65 lines per inch, which will photocopy well.
Sometimes, during Q & A, I will get one of those skeptical
questions such as, How many children do I have? Thats the one I
answer, In or out of wedlock?
Its pointless to engage in arguments with people
regarding the validity of psychic phenomena. I dont have a
dog in that fight.
I carry enough material to have the flexibility to customize a
performance on the fly, picking the appropriate material according
to the reactions of the audience.
Cherish the interplay you get from members of the
audience. Its not heckling; it means they are involved.
Send Thank You cards to every client immediately after the
show. It will pay enormous dividends, not only by keeping your
name in their minds but also by displaying an uncommon attention
to the details of etiquette.
When instructing a participant, tell him three times. Any
mistake he makes is, in reality, your error and your problem.
I am a man of many cards, keeping a wallet full of different
business cards, each of which describes me in a different manner.
This allows me to represent myself in a fashion consistant with my
clients expectations.
Being a Mentalist has made me a more effective magician;
I understand people better now.
I provide a service for those who feel they can benefit from it and
entertainment for those who can appreciate it. If you belong to
neither of these categories, no hard feelings.
Mentalism is like Shakespeare: It plays much better than
it reads.
If you like the way John thinks, you will enjoy his new book,
Heavy Mental, approximately 120 pages, $23.50 postpaid. Ive seen
the early proof copy and theres great material and good philosophy
inside. He also has available, at the same price, The Man With the
$1.98 Hands, which features his creativity as a sleight-of-hand
artist. Contact John at (615) 521-6705.
56
Volume 1, Number 13
Ross Johnson
Issue # 13
The Really Real Prediction

Copyright1995
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
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602 / 247-7323 voice
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World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
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US$55.00 per year
Pointing to a
member of the
audience, the
performer says,
Please pull a
piece of paper
money from your
wallet. It can be
any denomination or nationality. We are
interested in the unique serial number
imprinted on the bill. More precisely, the
last four digits. Please make a note of them
on this small pad.
As the participant writes, the performer uses a
jumbo marking pen to write something on a large sketch pad. The
sheet bearing his notation is torn from the pad and placed aside.
A second person is pointed out and asked to stand. Im sure you
have memorized your telephone number. Heres a note pad & pen.
Please write down the last four digits.
Turning to another person, the Mentalist asks, Do you own a
MasterCard credit card? Would you remove it from your wallet for
a moment? The participant is handed a pen and pad and told,
Well use those last four numbers, too. Please write them down.
The Mentalist once again takes his sketch pad & pen in hand
and instructs all three participants, The 4 digits each of you have
written are, indeed, random numbers. Well use them to construct a
set of 3-digit numbers. Each person is asked to say aloud one of
the numbers on his list and then cross it off. For example, one
participant says, 7 another says, 2 and the third says, 6.
Combining the three, we get the
number 726, says the performer, who
Ross Johnson, a
writes that figure down on his pad.
former school
Now a second, different, digit from
teacher, is todays
each of you, to build another 3-digit
premier corporate
number.
Mentalist,
earning a
Three more 3-digit numbers are
six-figure income for
generated, all columned on the
several years now.
Mentalists pad. Now, he says, lets
total these random numbers. The
4-digit sum is written at the bottom of the page.
Just to recap our actions, three persons from the audience have
used random digits to construct 4 numbers. It is obvious that if any
of them gave the digits in a different order, wed have an entirely
different four numbers. Add them, and they combine to form a
Please turn to REALLY REAL, page 60
57
Lance Campbell
Double Dowsing
Those who employ the age-old art of dowsing, begins the
performer, rarely contemplate the powers behind this phenomenon.
They only know that, absent skeptical disbelief, it works.
He spreads on the table a square kerchief. Placing seven small
and intriguing objects in a circle on the cloth, the Mentalist
continues, While most often using a forked green twig or L shaped
Lance will be a
rods, dowsing can also be accomplished using a simple pendulum. In
featured
performer at
this case, a pendant on a chain. He withdraws the pendulum just
the Psychic
described from his pocket.
Entertertainers
Please take the end of the chain in your fingers and hold the
Associations 1995
pendulum, in turn, over each of the items in the circle, like this.
Meeting of the
The Mentalist demonstrates by dangling the pendant mere
Mindsi
inches over several of the items. There is something special about
one of these trinkets, and I hold the answer to that enigma in my
closed hand. Lets see if you can perceive my thoughts through
Dowsing. When you feel the pendulum being drawn toward one of
the items, suspend the pendulum over that object. Ill turn away so
that the only perceptions youll receive are from my mind. All of my
thoughts will be focused on the item within my fist. Please let me
know when youre done. He turns his back to the circle on the table,
holding his clenched fist to his forehead in concentration.
Avoid touching the table with your arm, advises the Mentalist,
and just move the pendulum slowly above each item the circle.
Following instructions, the participant dangles the pendulum over
each of the amulets in turn.
The performer says, If you look closely, you will detect the
pendulum dip toward one of the items. Let me know when that
happens. Soon the pendulum does indeed seem to descend slightly
over one object and the participant advises the performer.
So quickly? Good. Now drop the pendulum on top of that item.
The performer slowly turns, glances at the chain-draped object
in the circle, and smiles. Then he opens his hand to display a
duplicate of the dowsed item.
Suggestion and fatigue account for the pendulum being
drawn toward an item.
Duplicates of the seven amulets, selected for their
unique shapes which can be identified by touch, are in
the performers right trouser pocket. His right hand
rests casually in the same pocket.
By holding his (empty) left fist to his forehead, the
Mentalist brings his wristwatch within inches of his left eye. A
watch with a flat crystal and a dark face (the P.E.A. commemorative
wristwatch is perfect) mirrors the action on the table behind him.
When the pendulum is held over the selected item, the performer
retrieves its duplicate from his pocket and lowers his left hand as he
instructs the participant to drop the pendulum. Thats when the
item is transferred into his left hand.
58
Lee Earle
Futures Window
I performed this
prediction at the
final Chicago
Invocational.
Everyone remembers
the other piece I did,
Urine Luck.
When booked to entertain a group at an out-of-town, full-service

hotel, consider this no-gimmick prediction method.
The performer asks a representative of the client company to
join him on stage. The spokesman brings along a sealed envelope
and confirms that the envelope was postmarked several weeks prior
and has been in his possession since he received it in the mail.
He opens the envelope, removes the contents, and reads the
letter aloud. The page bears a written prophecy
of the days events, headlines, etc., whatever the
mentalist cares to take credit for predicting. No
other props are involved.
The solution is simple. It requires only the
unknowing assistance of the hotel staff. When
mail arrives for a guest, a message light is
illuminated on the telephone in his room and
the letter is held at the front desk until he
claims it. Often the letter will be stamped by a
front desk clerk to document arrival time and date.
Use a window envelope and prepare two identical letters. One
of the letters is addressed to the client in care of the hotel, the other
is addressed in the same manner to you. Each letter is blank below
the addressee. Fold both and insert them in the envelope so you are
the addressee visible in the window.
When you seal the envelope, use a dab of moisture from a cotton
swab at two or three spots on the gummed flap. Make sure that the
attach points are about one-eighth of an inch from the flaps edge.
When you peel open the envelope later, the edge of the flap will
remain crisp and untorn. Attach a stamp and mail the envelope.
Because you are a seasoned professional, your arrival at the
out-of-town hotel is set for a day in advance of the performance in
order to avoid the potential disaster of a travel delay. The letter
will be waiting for you at the front desk. If there are several
additional pieces of mail in your bundle (send at least three, with
different style envelopes), the prediction envelope will become one of
many and will thus be less conspicuous to a hotel clerk.
Early the following day, after you scan the morning edition for
useful prediction events and headlines, carefully peel open the
envelope and withdraw both letters. On the one addressed to your
client, write your prediction, refold it so the address will show
through the window, slip it into the envelope and reseal the flap.
Make a trip to the front desk and drop off the envelope with the
night clerk, saying, This was mixed in with my mail.
Check with your client before showtime to ensure that he
received the letter you sent. The regular shift front desk clerks will
assume it arrived in the mail, and so will your client.
59
Editors Desk
Bitter and Sweet

It is somehow fitting that it is in issue #13 that I mourn the loss
of good friend Carl Langdon, who passed away far too early this
March 1st. He was a Mentalist, a mentor, and a mensch. March
has not been a kind month these past two years.
Subscribers are already sending payments for another years
subscription to SYZYGY. I am delighted that subscribers have
found value in these pages and surprised that the past months have
gone by so quickly. Please wait for the renewal pitch to come in the
mail, sometime in mid-April if things proceed normally. Your
patience will be rewarded; charter subscribers will be able to extend
their subscriptions at the original rate, sidestepping recent postal
rate increases.
The renewal form will also be your ballot for a poll concerning
SYZYGYs contents. It will also seek your choice for the past years
best in Mentalism; books, commercial effects, magazine articles,
etc. Your thoughtful comments will be welcome.
You may want to look into the presentation upon which this
issues cover piece is based, the Jack London Almost Real
Prediction. The original handling employs no pre-show work, but
demands real-time, on-stage calculations. The manuscript is
probably still available and is highly recommended.
REALLY REAL, continued
unique, 4-digit total. Do you recall that, before any of these
participants said a word, I recorded an impression on a piece of
paper. Lets compare... He displays the paper torn from the sketch
pad earlier. A perfect match!
Based on Jack Londons Almost Real Prediction, this handling
eliminates Londons tricky real-time horizontal addition. Ross is
one of the more gutsy Mentalists on the circuit, harvesting the
charge card and phone numbers during his pre-show perusings. He
knows that he can always fall back on the original Almost Real
handling, even as late as during the performance itself, so hes
relaxed as he digs for paydirt. It can be as simple as going through
the conventions roster of attendees or as devious as peeking over a
registrants shoulder as he uses a credit card in the hotel gift shop.
The four credit card digits, 7+4+9+3=23, are the hundreds, as
in 2300. The phone number will contribute 2-8-0-9 which will be
the tens digits, adding up to 19. Times ten, thats 190. Add that to
the first sum, 2300+190=2490. You now have your base figure.
When the first participant removes a bill from his wallet, fold it
so he can see the serial number, placing the second serial number
under your eyes. Silently and secretly total the last four digits. In
this example, 6-7-2-1 add up to 16. As you write your prediction,
add that 16 to your base number, 2490+16=2506.
60
Carl Langdon 1917-1995
Volume 1, Number 14
Mark Edward
Issue # 14
The Fortunate Cookie

Copyright1995
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
The Medium tosses his cookies,

sealed in a cellophane bag, onto the
sance table and invites the guests
to partake of the treats. He opens
the bag and pours the cookies out
onto the table.
After the guests choose their
cookies and compare fortunes,
one remaining cookie is seen to
remain. Lets make this one an
offering to the spirits, smiles
the Medium, as he drops the
cookie back into the cellophane
bag and places the bag at the
center of the table.
He delivers an abbreviated reading to
each fortune holder, describing the significance of
the paper slip prophecy in relation to that individuals personality.
During the dark portion of the sance, the Medium deep in
trance relays messages from the spirits, one of which offers advice
in the form of a quotation.
When the lights are turned on, one of the guests is asked to
retrieve the cookie from the bag, break it open, and read the spirits
fortune. Printed on the slip is the same quotation!
The fact that the guests freely choose their cookies should
convince most skeptics that the final cookie and its fortune were
randomly selected. Being in a noisy cellophane bag at the tables
center makes it impossible to access in the dark. So how?
Prepare one cookie by substituting your fortune slip for the
original. Slip a flat hair pin through
the end of the cookie and work the slip
Mark is a full-time
between the two prongs. Twist the
performer who has
pin which wraps the slip tightly
served as the
around the prongs, then withdraw it
from the cookie. Fold your quotation
Medium for
slip and gently insert it between the
hundreds of sances
cookies lips.
at Hollywoods
(Editors Note: Try nuking the
Magic Castle.
cookie in a microwave oven for a few
seconds to soften it.)
Fill the cello bag with the proper number of cookies (number of
guests, plus 1). The loaded cookie is brought to your lap in
preparation. Empty the bag onto the table before you. When one
cookie remains, while the guests are focused on reading their
fortunes, conceal the switch cookie in your hand. Pretend to pick up
the table cookie (sweeping it into your lap instead) and place the
switch cookie in the bag.
61
Ken Grady
Domestic Deception
The Mentalist declares, Thought transfer is much easier when
one pictures a common, recognizable item. Its when someone
attempts to project an exotic image, such as the pressure relief valve
for a vintage steam engine, that the process becomes muddled. If
the target mind can recognize the picture, success is far more likely.
Walking over to his table to pick up a pair of drawing pads, he
I first met Ken Grady
continues, To advance the possibility of success, this test will
at my Money Making
employ only images of common, household items. Imagine yourself
Mentalism seminar in
walking through your home, taking note of everything you see. Its
Boston. He has a
quite a variety, enough to eliminate the idea of coincidence, agreed? professional attitude
The performer looks at several audience members and then
and a good grasp of
hands a drawing pad and a large crayon to a woman near the aisle.
what plays well.
He asks, Are you now thinking of a household object? Yes? Please
draw it on this pad. Ill step away to give you some privacy.
As the woman sketches, the Mentalist continues, I find that by
asking someone to draw something from her imagination, it engages
both the rational left brain as well as the creative right brain. In
short, you are cooking on all burners. Have you completed your
drawing yet? The participant affirms that she has.
Focus on that image, sensing every detail not only with your
physical eyes, but in your minds eye as well. Yes, I think I have it.
The Mentalist quickly makes a rudimentary sketch on his pad and,
with a flourish, drops his crayon into his breast pocket.
Please share with me and the rest of the audience the image
you generated in your mind, asks the performer. The participant
shows her drawing, a rough sketch of a clock.
What time is on that clock? asks the Mentalist, 5:45?
Amazing! Because when I opened my mind to yours, this is what I
saw... He displays the sketch on his pad: a clock set to 5:45!
Ken uses a stack of index cards, each of which bears a single
word describing a common household item (chair, TV, lamp, book,
refrigerator, etc.). Each of these cards is trimmed 1/16" (2 mm)
along one long edge. He makes up an equal number of cards
bearing the word clock and interleaves them among the first
group, making a side-cut svengali forcing deck.
Before the program he requests a woman to assist by selecting
one of the items at random. He demonstrates by holding the cards
word side up, by the ends, and cuts in several spots lifting by the
long sides of the pack. A different word shows each cut. Turning
the pack face down, he cuts and looks at the face card, miscalling
it a doorknob. Her cut will always yield a full-width force card.
You have a keen imagination which guarantees success in ESP.
Keep that object in mind and youll be delighted with the outcome.
The exact time? A pea-sized piece of crayon, held under the ball
of his thumb with soft wax, becomes a swami gimmick, making his
clocks hands in two quick strokes behind the pad.
62
Brian Watson
The Grand Master Gambit
Brian Watson is a
standout among
SYZYGYs
subscribers in
England.
Chess, begins the Mentalist, is really a game of the mind,

pitting two intellects against one another in formal, stylized
combat. It stands to reason, then, that the very best chess players
have become quite adept at mind games as well.
Opening a portable chess set and pouring the pieces onto the
table, the performer continues, Believe it or not, an accomplished
grand master can, to some degree, predict an opponents next
several moves. The best players have developed exercises to
enhance their intuitive skills, all the better to get an edge.
The Mentalist positions, in a single row, 6 white pieces taken
from the pile: Bishop, Knight, King, Pawn, Queen, and Rook. Over
one of the pieces he inverts an empty drinking glass.
They begin by placing the glass over any of the pieces. The
grand master turns his back and calls out a number. The glass
must be moved and placed over the same number of pieces, in either
direction, left or right.
Only two rules are recognized: 1) When moving the glass, no
piece can be skipped or jumped, and; 2) After covering the end piece
of the row during a move, simply U-turn and continue the move in
the opposite direction. The performer demonstrates.
After each move, the grand master asks for a piece to be taken
from the row. If he calls for the piece under the glass, he has failed
in his efforts to perceive his opponents thoughts. If, on the other
hand, he asks for an uncovered piece, the exercise continues.
Concentration is easier if I eliminate visual stimulation. I hope
you dont mind... informs the Mentalist, who covers his eyes with a
sleep mask. Continuing, he says, Please begin by placing the
tumbler over one of the six pieces. Have you done that?
Please move the glass to cover, in turn, 4 pieces, the performer
asks, pauses, and continues, and then give me the Bishop. For
your next move, cover 5 pieces. Thinking for a moment, he
declares, I believe the Rook is free. Ill take it as well. Next, cover
3 pieces, which leaves the Queen in the open. Hand it over.
The Mentalist says, Lift the glass from the piece it covers and
place it over a piece next to it. The Pawn should be open; Ill take it
and the Knight. Remaining under the glass is the white King.
Checkmate! Remember what I said about predicting an opponents
moves? Look in the box which held the pieces.
The matching black King is in the box!
The sleep mask allows ample opportunity for using the classic
Annemann over-the-shoulder, down-the-nose glimpse when asking,
Have you done that? If the glass is placed over the Bishop, King,
or Queen (mnemonic: a royal wedding), your first request is for an
odd number, otherwise start with a low even number. Subsequent
turns use the moves and take the pieces as the patter indicates.
Hold the black King in the box when you dump out the pieces.
63
Editors Desk
Lotsa Newz
Larry Becker is now videotaping, Standing Ovation The
Mental Magic of Larry Becker. Mike Maxwell of A-1 Multimedia
is producing and distributing. The price will be $39.95 each, or
$74.95 for both. Expect the final product to be available by late
summer. You can place your order with Larry at (602) 488-0980.
A subscriber has asked me to help locate an original copy of Dan
Blackwoods Psychic Entertainers Handbook of Comedy
Mentalism. Likewise, there are several who are looking for the
Manifestations tape & book set. Another would love to find The
Amazing Magic Square and Master Memory Demonstration by
Orville Meyer. Finally, I need to acquire a Mercedes Bends folding
key for personal use.
Overseas subscribers have requested that I make 3-ring
binders available, since the U.S. standard is not universal.
They have been ordered and will be delivered to me in
approximately 4 weeks (says the manufacturer). I wont know
the final price until I receive the shipment and factor in the
freight charges, so dont ask yet.
Heres another tidbit: Mind Bender, a theatrical film about
Uri Geller is in post-production, for release no earlier than
late summer. Peter Gabriel and Terrence Stamp have
parts in the movie. Music will be from Elton John, The
Moody Blues, and The Bee Gees, among others.
If your curiosity is killing you about The Mother of All Book
Tests by Ted Karmilovich, then his co-promoter Marc Sky
has done some supurb marketing. Its a very clean concept: Your
participant opens the book to any page, finds a challenging word,
and you pluck the word from his mind. No nonsense with page
numbers, anagrams, counting, gimmicks, etc. Its introductory
price is $300.00, steep but a good value. Since only 200 will be
available, it is almost certain to increase in value, if only as a
collectible. Call Marc for information at (908) 985-3284.
Personal news: SYZYGYs U.K. subscribers should take note
that Morley Budden of Kaymar Magic has arranged for me to host
a half-day Mentalism workshop when I holiday in London this May.
Tuesday, May 30 is the date. Contact Morley at 07 08 640 557 to
reserve your spot; attendance will be limited.
The word from Joseph Baer of Key West, FL is that the Spirit
Theatre Sance is up for sale. They do between 6 and 12 shows a
week, seating 18 at each event, and have been making it happen for
two years now. They offer terms, and will open the books and go
over the numbers for a serious inquiry. If you love sun, swimming,
and sance, this could be a lovely retirement package. Ive been
there and can attest to the potential. Contact them for further
information at (305) 296-0442.
64
Volume 1, Number 15
Michel Asselin
Issue # 15
Twisted Psyche

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Ancient alchemists spent their lives in a frustrating and futile

search for the secret of changing base metals into gold, begins the
Mentalist, speaking to the group gathered around
the table.
He continues, Over the
years, however, other
possibilities have revealed
themselves. For example,
many make the claim that a softening of metal can be produced by
the force of thought alone. Lets examine that possibility.
The performer removes a dozen or so keys from his key ring,
places them on the table, and continues, Keys are popular as the
focus for modern psychics but some will work better than others.
These are all orphans of autos, padlocks, and doorknobs long
forgotten. Ill wager your home has a similar collection.
Please, try for yourselves to cause the metal to soften. Take a
key and give it your best efforts. Hold it in your hand and focus
your energies upon it. Go ahead, dont be bashful, try it. Who
knows, you may be successful, and then what a story you can tell!
Once all of the keys have been taken and tested, the performer
declares, It looks as though individual efforts are not sufficient.
Please pass all of the keys to the lady on my right. She will hold
them as we combine our mental energies. Winking at the lady just
pressed into service, he says, I promise, this wont hurt a bit.
After all the keys have been gathered, the Mentalist places
them in the helpers hand and folds her fingers around the metallic
handful. As we concentrate our thoughts, he instructs, please be
alert for any bending which may occur in your hand. It may help to
slowly loosen your grip to allow the forces to manifest themselves.
A few moments the participant feels a key moving within her
closed hand. She is asked to open her
hand so the group might observe the
results. One key is obviously bent,
This is the second
twisted along its axis!
contribution from
Two extra keys are on the key ring
Michel,
a Canadian
to start, held out when the rest are
who lives near
dropped on the table: the twisted key
Montreal.
(prepared using padded pliers and vise)
and a magic dealer item known as the
Mercedes Bends folding key. They are
added to the rest of the keys as they are gathered to place in your
helpers hand. Fold the flexible key and trap it between two other
keys, then place all in her lightly closed hand.
When her hand relaxes, the unfolding key unlocks fantastic
pictures in her mind. On her open hand, all attention will be on the
twisted key; the bending key will remain unnoticed.
65
David Himelrick
The Himelrick Maneuver

Remote viewing, begins the Mentalist, is the ability to
perceive and describe visible features at a distant location. In a
typical experiment, the test subject remains in the laboratory while
an observer travels to one of several target locations, selected at
random. At the test site, the observer focuses on what he sees
around him. A successful experiment will have the test subject at
the laboratory accurately describe those distant details.
Continuing, the performer says, For example, if the target
scene is the center ring at the circus, the test subject might describe
sensations such as the odors of the animals or of fresh, roasted
peanuts. He might perceive the excited chatter of children or the
steamy-harsh sound of the steam calliope organ.
A participant is given a stack of index cards, each of which bears
a description of a different location. The performer instructs, Its
too bad you cannot actually travel to one of these distant locations.
Instead, you must visit one in your imagination. After I turn my
back, please scan through the scenes and select one to visualize.
Place the remainder aside, face down.
The helper does as he is told, reading the locale description on
the card of his choice and generating in his mind an image to
match. After youve formed a mental picture, the performer says
over his shoulder, put the printed description aside with the
others.
The Mentalist, his back still turned, immediately draws a small
image on a sketch pad and asks, I have a strong feeling that this is
present in your mental image, yes? He shows the sketch to the
helper who confirms that it is, indeed, an important component in
his imaginary vista.
The audience watches as quick strokes of the pen improve the
performers sketch. When the drawing is complete, the volunteer
describes his minds vision.
The drawing matches his imaginary scene in incredible detail!
How? The blank side of each index card bears a description of
a totally different set of imaginary sensations:
1) Hear the excited shoppers around you at the mall as you
window-shop at a shoe outlet and then purchase a large chocolate
chip cookie at the adjacent store.
2) Smell the newly mown grass as you stand on a perfectly
manicured green, the 18th hole at Augusta, as you carefully line up
to putt your white Titleist golf ball into the hole for par.
3) See the shimmering oil in the puddles on the streets of New
York, splashed aside by your foot thumping down on a cast-iron
manhole cover as you sidestep a speeding yellow taxi cab.
4) Sitting in front of the television on Super Bowl Sunday, your
mouth begins to water as you smell the aromas coming from a
piping hot pepperoni pizza just delivered by Dominos.
Please turn to MANEUVER, page 67
66
When hes not busy

creating delightful
mental pieces, David
works with Auburn
University in the
Horticulture
Department.
MANEUVER, continued
5) The crickets chirp among the fragrant pine trees and the
water laps against the side of your canoe as a full harvest moon
casts its glow across the northern Minnesota lake.
6) The 4th of July fireworks crackle over your summer picnic in
the park, casting a flickering glow on the large, white ceramic bowl
and the few unconsumed black Bing cherries within.
7) The days cares dissolve into nothingness as you stand, hot
and tired, beneath the wall-mounted shower head, feeling the
pulsating needles of warm water on your bare skin.
Each description is secretly identified by darkening, with a
blue pencil, one of the lines on the cards opposite, ruled side.
Interleaved among the target cards are seven other cards,
each bearing one of the following descriptions:
8) The soft music of violins adds to the elegant atmosphere
of the restaurant as your salt shaker sprinkles its seasoning
over the appetizing vegetable platter set on the crisp tablecloth.
9) You can hear the raucous cries of the crows soaring
overhead as you lean back against the farmers silo, watching the
rows of corn ripple in the soft, summer breezes.
10) The target at the far end of the shooting range seems very
small as you load a bullet into each of the pistols six chambers and
adjust your ear protectors prior to practicing your marksmanship.
11) The waves foaming onto the beach provide a comforting
sound as you sit in the shade of a colorful umbrella and slip on
your swim fins and mask prior to exploring the lagoon.
12) You stand on the sidewalk in front of the theatre, holding
open the door of a luxury sedan, while your companion for the
evening retouches her lipstick, checking it in the vanity mirror.
13) The level of the paint in the bucket grows lower each time
you dip the brush in the tan liquid, applying it in a heavy layer to
cover the unwelcome graffiti on the outside of your garden wall.
14) The mirror on your bathroom cabinet swings aside as you
rummage among the bottles of medication and toothbrushes
searching for the blue container of roll-on anti-perspirant.
Each of these descriptions is written while the card is held in a
vertical alignment, as opposed to the normal horizontal alignment
employed for the first seven. (The italics are not printed on the
index cards - they are used here to highlight the key segments.)
You have no idea which of the fourteen descriptions the helper
has chosen, but it doesnt matter. As you ask him to place the
target card aside, a quick over-the-shoulder glance lets you see
whether the card is being read horizontally or vertically.
Your initial sketch, both possibilities illustrated here, will
always fit into your participants mental scene. When you show it
to him, a look at the face down target card provides your blue-lined
clue to the scene being used. Complete your rendering of the
remote viewing, adjusting the image and adding other details.
67
Editors Desk
Late Information
For all of you who plan to attend the Psychic Entertainers
Associations members only Meeting Of The Minds in Seattle this
June 8-11, heres some welcome news: Bob Cassidy will serve as
the Master of Ceremonies for the Friday night show. I came to the
P.E.A. just after he went on hiatus, so this will be a treat for me.
Co-chairman Ed Loveland informs that Germanys Satori,
F.I.S.M. winner of a year or two back, will also be performing.
Last years (Atlanta) convention featured a puzzle sent by
Corinda to befuddle the assembled mentality. Steve Michaels
markets a commercial version which is a clear, glass bottle with a
black & white magic wand inserted through the narrow neck.
Inside the bottle, two bolts pass through holes in the wand which
are drilled at right angles to one another. Each bolt is securely
attached with a nut screwed snugly in place, preventing removal of
the wand from the bottle. Awesome magical powers; itty bitty
working space. Its called Bottled Frustration and sells for $25.00.
Contact Steve at P.O. Box 7331, Phoenix, AZ 85011.
Zowie! I am overwhelmed by the sheer volume of multiple-year
subscription renewals generated by my offer to supply a copy of my
index of the final issues of Magick. There will be at least one more
issue between this one and when I am able to send them out. Your
patience is appreciated and my thanks are extended.
Please check the envelope in which this issue came. The small
number next to your name the final issue for your current
subscription. Have you sent in your renewal yet?
Accompanying this issue, you will find a near-duplicate of the
flyer enclosed with the last mailing. It bears a corrected telephone
number because Murphy made me put my outdated residential
number on the last one. The request is the same; please give it to
someone associated with a local group who can make arrangements
to bring this lecture to your area. I appreciate the favor.
The cover piece in this issue also works perfectly with coins.
Break out that old F.H.D. (old-timer talk for Folding Half Dollar)
and give it a try. By the way, did you pick up the sound-play pun in
the title? Twisted Psi Key? Bonus: Ive arranged for a precision
manufacturer to fabricate a folding key (illustrated here) with a
strong action. SYZYGYs subscribers only can order one for $20.00.
The sad news comes that P.E.A. member Jonathan Cooke
peacefully passed away last March 27th. Born June 21, 1924, he
worked the tailing end of vaudeville as Jonathan Strange,
performing spook shows and mentalism. He held management
positions for various Sheraton hotels around the country, taking
advantage of that golden opportunity to do more than a few mindreading shows. Jonathan was a man of boundless humor and wry
wit. Now the world has one less reason to smile.
68
SYZYGYs
Style

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Potential contributors have asked

what criteria are considered when
material is submitted for publication.
First and foremost, the item must be something that suits my
personal tastes. Mind you, my opinion is no more valid than anyone
elses but it goes beyond that. It is tough enough to edit and rewrite
material about which I am enthusiastic. If a submission generates
only a lukewarm response, it is almost impossible. Subscribers
deserve an editors best efforts, not good enough.
Part of an editors job is to screen submisions for more than
content. SYZYGY has certain style standards as well.
Submissions must be Mentalism, not mental magic. Pieces which
require unexplainable props or employ awkward logic to achieve the
effect will not be considered for publication. If the performer wants
a random word selected, he shouldnt have to use a calculator to add
a column of figures for selecting a page, etc. A less convoluted
methodology is preferred.
The premise should be simple and direct. Is it thought transfer?
Or PsychoKinesis? Maybe clairvoyance? The audience should have
a clear idea of exactly what the performer is trying to accomplish
and, more to the point, accept the process as genuine. If suspension
of disbelief is necessary, the piece doesnt make the cut.
Entertainment value is important. Effects which serve only to
amuse the performer or spotlight a supercillious demonstration of
his mental powers are boring. Contemporary Mentalism is
engaging and touches its audience on many levels beyond How did
he do that? In fact, if that question is asked, were probably in the
realm of mental magic again.
Presentation takes priority over method. SYZYGY is not just
about neat new gimmicks or handlings.
The old magicians adage applies here.
If you have fifty methods to discover
Here are the
what is on your participants mind but
guidelines for
only one way of revealing it, you are a submitting material
one-trick pony. On the other hand, if
to be pubhished in
you have only one method to gain your
SYZYGY
information but myriad ways to reveal
that knowledge, you are perceived as a
master of your craft.
The Modus Operandi should simplify the performers task. Far
too often we see Mentalism which does just the reverse, requiring
the performer to solve a complex logic problem in his head while
concurrently attempting to entertain an audience. Novelty of
method alone will not qualify a piece for publication.
69
Lee Earle
Junction
We stand at a divide in the road. One path is smooth and welltraveled, inviting us to continue our journey in relative ease.
The other way is rough and steep, narrow and winding. The
road threatens to disappear beneath our feet, presenting us with
unexplored vistas and leaving the direction we take seemingly as
much to chance as to choice.
Sounds sort of like a cold reading script, doesnt it?
In fact, it is a colorful analogy of the situation in which most
Mentalists find themselves at some point in their lives. They must
decide whether to play it safe and remain on proven turf or to take
a risk and reap unimagined benefits.
It is tempting to take the paved highway, the less challenging
route to a comfortable destination. Although jammed with other
fellow travelers, many of whom are in search of easy answers and
instant gratification, this autobahn is a safe and secure route.
Most of us started down Mentalisms road in this manner,
sandwiching a psychometry routine or a mind-reading bit between
tricks in a conjurors program. It gave us the assurance that, even
if the new stuff blew up in our faces, it was surrounded with
sufficient well-praciticed material to salvage the performance.
Then we got the feedback.
We didnt anticipate how much more reaction the unpracticed
Mentalism would get in comparison to our polished prestidigtation.
Audiences ignore the magic tricks weve practiced for years,
preferring instead the fantasy of telepathy and premonition.
Imagine what their reaction would be if we really worked at it?
We are back at the fork in the road.
To navigate the rocky trail, we must lighten the load and
jettison old habits. Many of those assets which served us so well in
the conjuring mlange are now liabilities which must be cast aside.
In their place, we learn to develop an entirely new set of skills.
People skills. We discover an entirely new dynamic with the
audience; not one of confrontation but of cooperation. They become,
if we do everything right, anxious for us to succeed. Our triumph is
theirs as well, validating their innermost thoughts (some would say
fantasies, irrational beliefs, or superstitions) about the possibility of
this sixth sense we all hear about.
The bumps in the road are the price we pay for knowledge
acquired along the way. These lessons teach us about finding and
marketing to new venues or developing presentations that we can
deliver without violating our personal ethics.
Those who have trod the rocky path assure us it is the only route
to the summit, but well worth the trip.
I walk with Robert Frost and choose the road less travelled.
70
Some thoughts on
the choices we make
to achieve success in
Mentalism
Looking Forward
Take a peek
inside SYZYGYs
crystal ball, to get a
glimpse of things to
come.
One good gauge of a professional, we are told, is that he makes a

difficult task look easy.
If the process of bringing SYZYGY to your mailbox every three
weeks appears effortless, then the plan is working.
In fact, it is a continuing struggle to maintain the quality which
subscribers have come to expect. Some early issues were
completely reprinted because of quality concerns. One issue was
actually pulled from the press, half printed, until new negatives
could be made to correct an editing error which was discovered,
literally at the last minute.
The payoff, however, is in the positive feedback received from
subscribers who phone or fax their praise and comments.
None of this would be possible, we should keep in mind,
without the generosity and creativity of those who contribute
material for publication. Those whose names appear at the
tops of the pages form SYZYGYs Celestial Lineup. Thats still
a perfect metaphor.
In the works: Quarterly Supplements on Corporate Mentalism.
I have asked several top-name performers to contribute some inside
information on this most difficult and demanding of Mentalisms
specialties. Well put out a few guideposts for those who contemplate
making a run at this lucrative market.
In the works: Another supplement which will outline successful
promotions run by some of SYZYGYs subscribers. We sometimes
forget that the race is seldom won by swiftness alone. Thoroughness
and preparation often account for the margin of victory. This one
offers examples for Mentalisms entrepreneurs.
In the works: A new annual index format which will make it
much easier to find material based on performing venue, as well as by
name, author, props, and premise.
In the works: A research project which may very well change the
way in which we regard drawing duplication effects. I dont want to
tip it just yet, but if you are one of the subscribers randomly selected
to participate, I ask only that you reply with your unconsidered, off
the top of your head response. If respondents try to second-guess or
anticipate what were after, it will flaw the study. The results will be
published in SYZYGY.
In the works: Special theme issues which will: 1) focus on one
effect as presented by three different performers, or; 2) present three
different performance pieces, perhaps from the same contributor,
which make a complete routine, or; 3) highlight the contributions
from one geographical locale, such as an All England Issue for
example.
Some of the renewal and survey forms sent in show some
interesting preferences among subscribers, but far too many are
being returned with no survey information at all! Go figure.
71
Editors Desk
Submissions Policy
SYZYGY has had, since the beginning, a formal policy for
submissions. Until now, it has been distributed to contributors
whose material has been accepted for publication. I thought this
would be a good time to publish it for the record:
All material submitted for publication is accepted subject to the
following conditions:
1) The author retains all manufacturing rights to the material;
2) Except for material excerpted from the authors book or
manuscript which is so identified, the submission has not heretofore
been published or used in any medium for any purpose;
3) The author recognizes that submission and acceptance do not
necessarily guarantee publication;
4) We have the right to edit, lengthen or shorten, make additions
or revisions or otherwise change the material;
5) We have the right to use your name and/or photograph or other
likeness in connection with the material;
6) We retain worldwide periodical, syndication, adaptation,
republishing and reprint rights in all languages in either full,
abridged, or condensed versions and for any whole or part editions,
anthologies, collections or publication licenses to others of material
published;
7) In the event that the work is reproduced in whole or in part in
microfilm, microform, microfiche, and/or electronic text data bank,
video, audio, lecture note or similar formats, we reserve the right to
include the work in the aforementioned formats.
Unless the author supplies written objection to these terms and
conditions they will be deemed to have been accepted.
The first paragraph above is the most important, protecting a
contributors intellectual property when it is published in SYZYGY.
Once an item is published, the Mentalism community is on notice as
to the originator of a concept.
Items two through five are self-explanatory.
Number six means that SYZYGY can, for example, allow another
publication to excerpt material which SYZYGY has already
published. A benefit: Producing a bound volume after five years will
not require contacting everyone who contributed material during
that period.
Paragraph #7 ensures a firm footing if, in the future, SYZYGY
might be distributed electronically or on a CD, for example. Nothing
is in the works right now, but it seemed a good idea to anticipate
future distribution media.
I have been assured by associates in the legal profession that this
policy is the most comprehensive in the business.
72
Volume 1, Number 16
Phil Goldstein
Issue # 16
Poster

Copyright1995
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
The performer explains,

While travelling in
Europe, I sent postcards
from various countries to
my friends. Arriving at
home, I discovered one
postcard Id forgotten to
mail. It occurred to me
that it might be useful for
an experiment in
sychronicity.
The mentalist brings out a
postcard, picture side kept
out of view, and sets it aside. He introduces a dozen glassine
sleeves; each contains a postage stamp from a different country.
A pair of dice is handed to a participant, who is asked to roll one
or both to generate a random number. This number is used to
designate a stamp. It is, for example, from France.
When the postcard is examined it is found to be a view of Paris.
The postcard can be used to represent three different countries.
The front of the postcard is entirely black, with white lettering in
the upper left corner that reads, London by night. (This is a
novelty postcard that is, in fact, available in many major cities.)
On its address side the postcard is doubly prepared. At the
upper left is the printed message, Paris de nuit; Paris by night Paris, France. There is also a handwritten message on this side of
the card. It reads, Dear Eugene: Im having a wonderful time in
Italy. Wish you were here... Sign this and add an address in the
proper location. This message ought
to be written in pencil, simply to call
less attention to itself.
Without question,
The forcing procedure is an
Phil Goldstein
expansion of the Corvello 10/11 Force.
qualifies
as one of
There are actually thirteen stamp
Mentalisms
sleeves, obtained at stores that deal in
national
treasures.
collectable stamps. The force stamps
(England, France and Italy) are in
positions 2, 6 and 10 from the top, in
the stack of glue-side-up stamps. Trim off one of the corner
serrations on each of the force stamps so you can identify them from
the back. Any number from one to twelve can be used to arrive at
one of the force positions, dealing the individual sleeves onto the
table as follows:
For 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 or 10, deal from the glue-side-up packet. With 2,
6 and 10, the last sleeve dealt is used; 1, 5 and 9 use the next one.
For 3, 4, 7, 8, 11 or 12, turn the packet printed side up to count.
Please turn to POSTER, page 76
73
Lee Earle
Keys Redux
Back in issue #10, I alluded to a killer technique for the Keys
Royale routine. Thats the one in which the participant selects, from
among several keys, the only one which opens a padlock.
(It will probably be necessary to reacquaint yourself with the
original routine in order to get the most out of this improvement.)
This new handling allows the participants finger ring to be
Although this is
secured on the locks shackle, eliminating from consideration any
published as an
possibility that the lock might be switched.
improved handling, it
Taking a cue from Billy McCombs linking finger ring routine, set
almost qualifies as
yourself up with a small number of generic duplicate rings. For
running when youre
example, a mans signet ring, a plain gold wedding band, a womans
not being chased.
diamond solitare ring, and perhaps one or two more.
You decide. "
When enlisting someone to assist you, look among your audience
for a person wearing a ring similar to one of your duplicates. It
neednt be identical because he will never have the opportunity to
inspect it while it is shackled to the lock. Invite that person to help
you with your experiment in subconscious perception.
At the point in the routine when the several keys are being tried
in the lock by front-row audience members, ask your participant to
remove his ring. You should already have retrieved, from wherever
you keep it, the matching duplicate. Handing his ring to the person
whose key opened the lock, you exchange his ring for the duplicate.
The stolen, borrowed ring goes in the same pocket as the lock index.
The audience helper secures the ring on the lock and drops the
connected pair into the glass. All the keys are collected in the glass,
too. The glass is faceted crystal and provides a clear, if somewhat
refracted, view of the ring on the lock inside. Because his locked
ring is apparently always in full view, the procedure seems innocent,
although somewhat theatrical.
The original routine did not require a switch if the participant
pulled from the glass the key which would open the lock. With this
variation, because it is not really his ring on the lock, a switch is
always required. A seventh lock, which opens with the same key as
the lock in the glass, is added to the pocket index for this purpose.
All the locks in your pocket index are open. After the participant
chooses a key, spot its secret marking, reach into your pocket and
locate the appropriate lock. Slip his ring over the locks shackle, and
snap the lock closed. As in the original routine, bring out the lock
and ring hidden in your hand for the final switch.
When you empty the contents of the glass into your hand, onto
the hidden lock & ring (while magnetically retaining the original
lock and duplicate ring in the glass), the participant will obviously
focus his attention on his locked ring.
The cleanup is the same. After the participant takes the lock and
ring from your extended hand, dump the remaining keys back into
the glass and set the glass aside.
74
Steve Michaels
Stickum Up
Magician Steve
Michaels offers this
idea as a very useful
utility technique.
When setting up a test conditions challenge, the performer

hands a hard-cover dictionary to a skeptic. He is asked to look up a
challenging word, write that word on a small piece of paper, and
fold the paper so the contents are concealed. The folded paper is
dropped into a small envelope, moistened and sealed. The
skeptic is asked to take the envelope and sign his name across
the sealed flap. He will observe that the envelope is free of
tampering.
That envelope is tucked into another, larger envelope
which is handed to the skeptic for licking & sticking. He
can retain the nested envelopes or put them on display in
a secure place.
During the show, after the outer envelope is inspected
for mischief (there is none), the inner envelope is removed
and likewise inspected, with the same verdict.
The skeptic acknowledges that only he knows the contents of
the self-autographed envelope once again in his hands.
Of course the Mentalist can now duplicate the word inside.
The method is a combination of standard gambits with a twist.
Steve prepares the flap of the smaller envelope (which will hold the
skeptics test) with Post-It Adhesive. The Mentalist takes the
folded packet, drops it into the envelope, and pretends to lick the
adhesive on the flap. The flap is folded closed. Because of the
temporary adhesive, the envelope appears completely sealed, safely
enough that it can be handed to the skeptic for a signature.
A rubber banded, flapless envelope stack is used to switch out
this envelope. The top envelope has had its flap cut off, its open
end under the second envelopes flap. That second envelope has a
duplicate smaller envelope inside which a duplicate of the one
containing the skeptics challenge word.
When the Mentalist takes the smaller, signed and sealed
envelope, he slips it into the top (flapless) envelope of the stack and
withdraws the second envelope from under the rubber band by
pulling on its flap. The flapless envelope containing the skeptics
envelope remains on top of the stack. The skeptic seals and retains
the envelope handed him.
In privacy, the Mentalist lifts the flap from the skeptics
envelope, copies the information inside, and rubs the Post-It
adhesive from the flap. Then he moistens and seals the envelope.
It is placed between pages near the middle of the dictionary.
On stage, the skeptics envelope is dropped between the pages of
the dictionary. The small envelope already there will break the
dictionary open at that spot; the large envelope goes in front.
After the skeptic relates the pre-show details, the envelopes are
taken from the book, concealing the smaller one behind the larger.
Please turn to STICKEM UP, page 76
75
Editors Desk
Intelligenti Pauca
Houstons Bob Blau has published a new book, SPIRITS on the
STAGE. Endorsing the book, Bill Palmer (translator for Punx
and Ted Lesley) says that the audience-tested material is derived
primarily from performances done in Spiritualist churches! The
contents include spirit cabinet, slates, sealed billet reading, and
handling audience volunteers. Cant tell you any more because I
havent seen the book. At the price, $14.00 postpaid ($16.00
overseas), even one good idea makes the book worthwhile. Contact
Bob at 3510 East Broadway, #1010, Pearland, TX 77581.
The 3-ring collecters binders are ready. They are not quite as
thick as the illustration here would suggest, measuring
approximately 10" x 11.5" x 1.5" (25cm x 29cm x 4cm). Each binder
will hold 3 years worth of issues. They are $12.50 each, plus $2.50
postage to the U.S. & Canada; overseas postage is $5.00.
STICKEM UP, continued
The dictionary is handed to the skeptic so that he may locate the
same word. This action momentarily seizes his attention.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Mentalist tears the
end off the larger envelope, revealing what appears to be the corner
of the smaller one inside. In reality, it is the envelope behind,
containing the skeptics original folded paper. The performer
pretends to withdraw it from the larger envelope and hands it to
the skeptic. Once again, he can confirm his signature and its
untampered appearance.
The rest is mystery.
POSTER, continued
For the numbers 4, 8 and 12, the last sleeve dealt is used; with
3, 7 and 11, the next one is used.
Pick up the postcard, positioning your right forefinger so that it
will cover the white lettering on the underside. Congratulate the
spectator on being absolutely correct, and raise the postcard to
display its all-black picture.
If England has been selected, say, As you can see, this is a
picture of London by night! The audience will take this as a joke.
Let it sink in, then say, I'm not kidding. Remove your right hand
to reveal the printed message.
For France, similarly proclaim that it is a picture of Paris by
night, then turn the card over to the address side. Point to the
printed identification at the upper left, and invite a spectator to
read it out loud. Your pointing hand obscures the handwritten text.
When Italy has been selected, proclaim that it is a picture of
Rome by night. Turn the card over to the address side, and invite a
spectator to read your written message. Your left thumb casually
covers the printed identification at the upper left.
76
Volume 1, Number 17
Norman Barlow
Issue # 17
The Polygraph Pack

Copyright1995
SYZYGY
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The polygraph
machine, begins the
Mentalist, is a device
which measures and
tracks certain
reactions ones body
makes under stress.
When a person is
being untruthful, the
respiration and heart
rate change. Even the
skins ability to
conduct tiny electrical currents will be altered.
Police detectives who interrogate suspects soon develop a sixth
sense about whether a person is lying. While a policemans
insights are not admissible in court, those gut-feelings or hunches
often lead to other clues which are allowed in a prosecution.
Psychologists have determined that our intuitive insights stem
from visual, non-verbal cues such as body language, expression,
attire, intonation, and so forth. The subconscious mind observes
and records these silent signals, and then, when it notices a pattern
of deceit, supplies a warning to our conscious mind.
The performer removes a pack of playing cards from his pocket
and shuffles them. Lets test the concept. Which card will be our
target? The cards are spread as the Mentalist says, Well use the
first one you touch.
After the participant selects and notes one, it is shuffled back
into the deck. The performer instructs, Ill remove a card from the
top of the deck and look at it, but you wont be able to see it for
yourself. Then I will say its name
aloud, except when I draw the target
In his original
card. Thats when I will substitute a
contribution,
different cards name. If your hunch
Canadian Norman
indicates that I am telling the truth,
Barlow used a
say nothing. But if your gut-feeling
different modus
says otherwise, say, Liar!
operandi. This one
The Mentalist lifts one card from
is a bit easier.
the top of the pack, looks at it, and
says aloud its name. If the participant
remains silent, the card is shown to the audience to verify the
performer was truthful. The card is placed in the Mentalists
pocket.
One after another each top card is removed, called, shown, and
pocketed until, on one card, the participant shouts, Liar! That
card is turned around. Its the target card and the participant has
somehow caught the performer in a lie!
Please turn to POLYGRAPH, page 80
77
Lee Earle
Aura-Matic
Within each of us, begins the Mentalist, is a life-force which
radiates outward, broadcasting our essence in a way which can be
interpreted by those trained to observe it.
The performer places 4 coins in a group on the table and covers
them with one of his business cards.
Instructing further, the performer continues, Just as a needle
rubbed on a magnet will absorb and then re-radiate the magnetic
field, likewise your personal aura can be transferred, simply through
concentration. When I have turned around, take one of the coins
from its hiding place and hold it in your closed hand, directly in front
of your pineal eye. He illustrates by placing his fist in the center of
his forehead, then turns to avert his vision.
Mystics claim that your aura is the strongest in this position. As
you hold the coin in this position, imagine your essential energy
attaching itself to that object. Can you visualize it? Please place the
coin back on the table beneath its concealing cover.
Turning around to face the participant once again, the Mentalist
studies his helper to examine his aura, perhaps delivering some
good cold-reading lines. I think I have a good idea of how to identify
your energy field. Now lets see if there are any similar auras
emanating from the coins.
The performer uncovers the group of coins and pockets the
business card, then briefly concentrates on each coin, glancing from
the coin to the participant and back as if comparing something.
Taking the participants index finger, he moves it slowly over the
bunch of coins, until he lowers it onto one coin.
Of course, it is the target coin.
The method is disarmingly close to the premise. Its not
the aura which transfers to the coin, but body heat
instead. The rear surface of the
business
card is treated with a thermally
sensitive coating which changes color
with a shift in temperature. The coin
which was held in the hand will be
somewhat warmer than the others
and will leave a distinct circular
impression on the sensitized side of
the card.
When you lift the card to view the
coins, a glance tells you what you need
to know.
The card stock I found is called Touch-It and can
be purchased from Kelly Paper stores for about $12.00 for 50
sheets of 10 point card stock. Similar materials can almost certainly
be obtained from your local printers supply store.
The sample enclosed will allow you to experiment for yourself.
78
I really dont intend

to overload these
pages with my own
contributions, but
this one couldnt
wait. See the back
page to learn why.
Gregory Albright
Time Out!
Greg is a full-time
magician who lives
in Fort Wayne,
Indiana
The Mentalist says, Persons who have traumatic experiences

such as automobile accidents often recall an unusual
perception. During the crisis, the flow of time seems to slow
down. Events occur at a snails pace as the alerted brain
goes into mental overdrive.
It usually takes a powerful stimulus to trigger this
phenomenon, continues the performer, but sometimes
intense concentration can serve the purpose. Would you
like to try to alter your temporal perception?
When the participant agrees, he is asked to remove his
wristwatch. The Mentalist suggests, For this
demonstration, you must be totally relaxed. Even the effort
of lifting your arm to view your watch might be too
distracting. Ill hold it so you can see it.
Please sit in your chair with your hands folded in your
lap and your spine firmly against the back of your chair.
advises the performer. As you view the face of your watch,
focus upon the sweep-second hand and say to yourself,
Slower...slower... keeping that thought uppermost in your
mind until you sense a result.
The performer holds the watch by its strap, displaying it at a
comfortable viewing distance for the participant. As the helper
concentrates, the sweep-second hand continues its measured arc
around the watch dial until it seems to hesitate. And then the
watch stops!
Only when the participant reacts, usually looking away from
the watch to the performers face, does the watch begin its
syncopated ticking once again.
Judging by the look on your face, offers the Mentalist, you
just experienced a subjective time warp. Did you? Of course the
participant will always answer in an amazed affirmative.
The secret is a small magnet and the battery powered watch
worn by the participant. The magnet is of the type ladies use to
affix earrings which are not for pierced ears and are usually of the
rare-earth variety, quite powerful for their size. A postcard
addressed to Edmund Scientific Co., Barrington, New Jersey will
bring their catalog to you which offers a selection of magnets (as
well as a cornucopia of other hard-to-find goodies).
Affix a small piece of sticky-on-both-sides cellophane tape to the
magnet so it will adhere to your finger or hand. The precise
location of the magnet is up to the individual, but near the tip of
the third finger works well. When the watch is held by its strap,
the magnet on the third finger will be directly behind the watch.
The exact spot to position the magnet against the back of the
watch will vary according to the watch design. Its usually between
the 5 and 6, but a little experimentation will prove helpful.
79
Editors Desk
Travellers in the Trade

When this issue mails, my London workshops will be behind me
and the Psychic Entertainers Associations annual Meeting Of The
Minds, this time in Seattle, will be just ahead. Look for a summary
of both events on future back pages.
Craig Karges looked every bit the corporate vice-president when
we greeted one another in the lobby of the Hyatt resort hotel in
pricey Scottsdale, Arizona last May 21st. He had flown in to
entertain a group of executives with his mental tour de force. Over
lunch that afternoon, it was hinted that his first infomercial, with
its associated tape-and-book package, was in post-production. If it
test-markets well, a national roll-out is predicted.
The subject? Improving intuition.
This concept is going to get much bigger, so begin building your
knowledge base now. Ive been preaching Intuitive Entertainment
for years. As a speaking premise, its your doorway to dollars.
Sacramento based Bob Brown whizzed through town recently,
too. He lamented that prior commitments and international travel
connections would not allow him to lecture at this years P.E.A.
conference in Seattle. There arent many who can match his
marketing and promotion techniques and he was going to tell all.
Perhaps another year?
Well, the cats out of the bag concerning the new, temperature
sensitive, color-changing papers. See the centerfold in a recent copy
of Stan Allens Magic for a larger sample. Lets hope we can survive
the inevitable onslaught of just-barely-clever tricks in which the
method is more intriguing than the effect.
POLYGRAPH, continued
Premise and presentation are everything. The pack of cards is a
Svengali deck (or a rough/smooth Svengali, Mirage deck, etc.); the
target card is forced.
Each time a card is lifted from the top of the deck, thumb at one
end and the fingers at the other, it is really a pair, with one of the
short duplicates behind and an indifferent card showing.
When the participant challenges, place the pair back on top of
the deck and ask, What made you stop me here? as you thumb the
single top (force) card to the side to be picked up and displayed in
the same manner as the previous pairs.
Editors note: For a follow up, switch the deck for an
ungimmicked pack, in the pocket with the discards for example,
and reverse the presentation. The Mentalist selects a target card
and controls it to a position just below a known, key card before
handing the deck to the participant. The helper looks at each top
card in sequence, saying nothing, and then shows the card to the
audience before placing it aside. When the performer sees his key
card discarded, the next one will be the target.
80
Volume 1, Number 18
Danny Orleans
Issue # 18
Dark Corner

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
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Have you ever been to a

sance? asks the performer.
Thats a gathering at which
the guests attempt to contact
the spirits. So will we.
Guiding the conversation, the
Mentalist continues, Tarot cards are
often used as an oracle to interpret past,
present, and future. I suspect
they may even be useful in
this instance as well.
Turning to one of those
seated around the table the
performer asks, Will you please
bring to mind someone who is
both famous and dead? But you
must not think of George
Washington, Abraham Lincoln,
Marilyn Monroe, or J.F.K. Their spirits
are overworked. And dont select Elvis either hes still alive!
Once the participant has a name in mind, he is offered the Tarot
deck and told, Remove one card from the Tarot and, with this pen,
write the deceaseds name across the front Babe Ruth and the Six
of Cups; how ironic. The performer slips the card into the deck.
The full pack of Tarot must be cut twice. Once by you, slowly
and with deliberation, the performer indicates that the participant
is to cut the cards, waiting until the action is complete before
continuing, and once by me. Would you place your wine glass in
the exact center of the table, please?
The Mentalist cuts the cards and places the deck on the rim of
the glass, moving his hand over the
glass in a mysterious gesture. Perhaps
you might wish to grasp my wrist, he
Danny Orleans is a
suggests, in fact, lets form a sance
Chicago-based
circle. Everyone grasp hands around
performer who
the table.
works trade shows
Turning to the original participant, and corporate events
the performer requests, Focus your
across the U.S.
mind on contacting Babe Ruth. And
keep your eyes on the glass beneath
the Tarot. Something will happen there. Im not kidding!
The Mentalist places his hands lightly on the deck atop the
glass. The glass and deck begin to gyrate under his hands, the fluid
swirling and sloshing until something appears in the liquid!
Its the corner of a Tarot card.
Please turn to CORNER, page 82
81
CORNER, continued
The Tarot deck is spread face up on the table; the Six of Cups
card bearing the dead persons name is missing its corner!
This presentation is Dannys routine for the Matt Schulien
classic, Card Corner in Glass. The handling is simple for anyone
with a little background in card conjuring; just control the dead
card to the top or bottom of the deck for a cop, palm, or lap drop.
As a participant cuts the deck on the table in front of you,
secretly tear a corner from the card. The face-down torn card, with
the torn end away from you, goes on top of the corner in your left
fingers.
When you take the deck to cut it, your right hand slides the pack
off the edge of the table onto your left hand, on top of the torn card
and corner. Misdirection is simple; ask someone across the table to
place his wine glass exactly in the center of the table. Every eye
will look to judge that placement.
Your right hand pulls out the bottom half of the deck and places
it on top of the remainder, in what conjurors know as a hindu cut.
This places the torn card in the center of the pack. Take the deck in
your right hand, concealing the torn corner beneath, and place it
atop the glass in a manner which just barely traps a corner of the
torn piece between deck and rim.
By placing your hand on top of the deck and jiggling the glass,
the liquid within will slosh about, masking the corner when it
drops. Press on an edge of the deck to lever up the side trapping
the torn corner, and the corner will drop into the glass as if
apported there.
Editors note: Danny didnt specify a method for secretly lapping
the signed card, so Ill supply a favorite of my own.
When the card is selected, place it face-up on top of the face-down
deck in your left hand. Extend the deck and a pen for your
participant to write the chosen name on the face of the card.
Get a left hand, little-finger break above the bottom card.
Transfer the deck to your right hand which grasps the deck from
above, thumb at the inner end and fingers at the far end. Your right
thumb maintains the break above the bottom card.
Place your left forefinger against the inner end of the deck at the
left corner and pivot the top half of the deck out, rotating that packet
180 onto your left hand. Your left thumb then pushes the signed
card to the right, about 1/3 of its width. Use the left edge of the
packet held in your right hand to lift the card and flip it face down
on top of the left packet. At the end of that movement, the right half
is directly over the left half. Because you held the break above the
bottom card with your right thumb, its easy to drop that card onto
the just-turned-over signed card. This is a classic add-on move.
With the left thumb, push the face down added card (which the
audience believes to be the signed card) into the center of the right
hand block of cards. Extend the packet for a participant to push the
card flush. Under this misdirection, tip the left hand packet and
thumb off the top card, the signed card, into your lap.
The two halves of the deck are combined and placed on the table
in front of you for the participant to cut, as described above.
82
Dont judge this

piece as a mere
magic trick; Danny
assures me that it
delivers the impact
of strong Mentalism.
Marc Salem
Intuitive Flash
Marc Salem is
gaining an
incredible
reputation among
the Fortune 500
community.
Pendulums, like dowsing rods, have been used as personal

oracles throughout history. Although many misinformed people
attribute something either sinister or New Age to their use, in fact
neither is the case. Psychologists will attest that it is the
subconscious which is really directing a pendulums motion.
Having laid the verbal groundwork for the demonstration at
hand, the Mentalist continues, Through the pendulum, one has
the ability to retrieve memories which are stored yet, somehow
forgotten. Lets see for ourselves.
Indicating someone seated in a position to comfortably use the
pendulum, the performer states, Experiments in the 1930's proved
that the subconscious mind has the ability to perceive information
below the threshold of conscious recognition. Im sure youve heard
stories of theatre advertisers attempting to employ this technique.
I have written, explains the performer, holding a legal
pad, a fairly long number on this pad. Please stand up for
a moment and turn toward the audience. I will move the
pad into your view for an quick moment so your inner
mind will see the data. It is unlikely you will consciously
remember seeing anything at all. Ready?
The Mentalist rapidly places the pad in front of the
participants eyes and then just as quickly removes it. Thats all
there is to it. Do you recall seeing any numbers? The answer will
be negative.
Good. Please be seated and place this template, bearing the
ten single digits, on your lap. Hold the pendulum over the focus
point and wait for it to begin swinging, instructs the performer,
and tell me which numbers your subconscious mind
indicates.
One by one the participant calls off digits as the
pendulum begins to swing. One by one the Mentalist
writes them as large numbers on a dry-erase board.
When the audience helper states the final digit,
the performer tears off the top sheet of his legal pad
and hands it to the participant before inking the final large
digit on the on-stage display. Please read the numbers only your
subconscious mind perceived.
The participant reads the string of digits aloud as the Mentalist
underscores each one on the marker board. A perfect match!
The Modus Operandi is quite simple. Its our old friend the nail
writer. Please dont take the chance of writing anything on the
pad which is shown to the participant. Just flash the blank pad
and carry on. Holding the dry-erase marking pen in your hand
will provide effective cover when you nail-write the digits as they
are called off.
Marc is currently in pre-production on an infomercial product,
entitled Mind Tools. Look for it in 1996.
83
Editors Desk
Speechless in Seattle
The Psychic Entertainers Associations Meeting Of The Minds, in
Seattle this June 8-11, was a remarkable conclave. So little time, so
many friends. I couldnt attend every event and those I did have
become blurred memories, but here are a few off the top of my head:
Bob Cassidy, announced by M.C. Bob Bluemle as the P.E.A.s
returning prodigal son showed us all how effortless good
Mentalism should appear. Two standing ovations, one
welcoming his entrance and the other applauding his finale;
David Himelrick and Jim Magus as Cooter and Bubba, a
double clich of southern rednecks who made us laugh until
our sides hurt. Check your six, Kardor;
F.I.S.M. champion Satoris incredible Kuda Buks-style
blindfold routine in which he divined phrases, numbers, and
cities in a manner which was simply not possible;
The Mother Of All Book Tests, performed by Ted Karmilovich.
Yes, its as good as its advance publicity claims;
Ron and Nancy Spencer, a charming couple whose warmth
radiated from the stage and brought to mind a kinder and gentler
era when performers could romance an audience;
Farvel the Marvel (Phil Kosnitsky) whose bare-chested
irreverence set just the right pace for the Saturday evening show;
And Tim Conover, recipient of this years Dunninger Award for
Distinguished Professionalism in the Performance of Mentalism. He
took a lucky few of us aside Sunday afternoon and fried our brains
with a design duplication. Just as we were getting ready to watch
him do the work he was into the climax, verbally describing three
drawings made by three different persons, all in less time than it
takes to read this paragraph. No kidding. Attempting to keep up
with Tim is like trying to drink from a fire hose!
Scottsdales Robert Bluemle, a founding member of the
renowned Six-and-One-Half, was presented the Mark Macy Special
Recognition Award for Outstanding Contribution to the P.E.A.
And yours truly, Lee Earle, was the surprised and
uncharacteristically speechless recipient of the Dan Blackwood
Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Art of
Mentalism. When I learned that the very first Blackwood award
went to none other than Bascom Jones, the honor redoubled.
Other snippets of memories: the rat-a-tat delivery of power
memory expert Ty Kralin; Medium Mark Edward who effortlessly
conquered impossible obstacles and hosted a flawless sance; hosts
Ed Loveland and Sheila Lyon who made everything flow; and the
unnamed dozens of other friends and acquaintances who make the
Psychic Entertainers Association the most open, sharing, and truly
fraternal organization of its kind in the world.
One more note: I have closed my CompuServe account. Please
send all e-mail to LeeE7@aol.com. Thanks.
84
Miss Peyton
Raven Hilford
June 5, 1995
8lb, 8oz
David Fredric Ashton, III
The Coffee
House
Psychic

Copyright1994
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
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Here in the Pacific Northwest where I live,

one of the most popular places for young adults to socialize is the
coffee shop.
Remove from your mind the picture of the old greasy-spoon
diner, truck stop cafe, or franchised breakfast restaurant. Many of
these coffee shops are large, beautifully appointed, and comfortable,
with overstuffed chairs and good reading light.
Your relationship with the coffee shop is symbiotic. Your
presence provides a certain draw, so the shop profits from the
additional business you bring in. People waiting their turn for your
services are more likely to succumb to the temptation of those exotic
coffee blends or scrumptious (and pricey) desserts. Likewise, you
gain the advantage of a semi-regular location which provides an
ambiance which is perfect for doing readings.
What makes it work is that both the performer and the host
coffee shop benefit from a cooperative relationship.
As in real estate, there are only three important things to
consider when selecting your venue; location, location, and location.
You want a coffee shop that is moderately busy during the times
you prefer to work. Dont do mornings; people are either in a hurry
or want to bury themselves in the newspaper. Evenings are best
because people are unwinding from their stressful days and are
more receptive to a pleasant diversion.
When you work the coffee shop,
David, one of the few
you should be the only entertainment, Mediums who have
on a day and at a time when you are
hosted Magic Castle
the star. Competing with live music,
sances, has been a
discussion groups, or poetry readings Master Numerologist
has proven to be death to the table
for over twenty-one
reader.
years.
I picked a premium coffee shop
that was upscale, close to downtown,
non-smoking, and well lit. It attracts yuppies and their puppies, not
the eclectic throw-backs to Maynard G. Krebbs (who, by the way,
are lots of fun, but have no money).
My shop is small enough to lend a sense of intimacy but large
enough to allow folks go on about their business, relax, and do what
they do at a coffee shop while providing the privacy necessary when
doing readings for customers.
I prefer to set up shop right at the front window, near the door,
in a very visible, yet private space. I can greet the folks as they
come in or, if Im doing a reading, acknowledge them with a nod.
85
You must also consider whether you wish to be on the

restaurants payroll or receive your compensation only from tips by
customers. There are advantages to both methods of operation.
I prefer to work for tips. Many restaurant magicians and
readers do well working for hire, but the downside is that your
employer could discourage you from accepting tips because of the
mistaken perception that the service staff would be tipped less. In
addition, your employer may not be as likely to allow you to up-sell
clients to your more profitable charts or extended readings.
I let people know, in my advertising and promotional literature,
that gratuities support my work are graciously accepted!
Working for tips provides an excellent incentive to entertain,
educate, and help my clients enough to motivate them to tip well.
True, there is no guaranteed income, but I typically make $25$30 per hour in tips alone. Most coffee shops or restaurants cant
afford that high a pay scale. Plus, I have the option to up-sell the
client to a full numerology chart for $35 to $60 dollars. This is
where the real profit potential lies.
Speaking of tips, the coffee shop service staff, even in upscale
places, usually dont make much money. If you have a good
evening, spread the wealth and tip the help. Not only is this a
nice thing to do, it makes it easier for you to get the cooperation you
will need. There will come a time when you need the lighting
adjusted, an outlet fixed, or the background music turned down to
suit your needs. Its nice to have the employees in your corner.
A great way to generate instant rapport is to do complimentary
readings for all the employees who care to have them. This has the
additional benefit of turning them into enthusiastic publicists who
will actually steer folks my way. They know we all benefit!
If youre working for tips and building up a psychic practice,
youll need to get folks in to see you.
Before you advertise or secure your location, get your printed
materials in line. The up-sell to a premium chart or sitting depends
on attractive promotional materials.
Heres what you need to get started:
Business Card - Be
specific about what you do and
dont try to be something for
everyone on your card. I earn
my living seven different
ways, working with seven
different markets, and I have
seven different business
cards. People want to deal
with specialists.
Brochure - Aside from your
personality, this is your main sales tool. In it,
sell your specialty, your services, and yourself.
Table Tents - Theres nothing like advertising to those
already at the shop! Table tents also let people know they are in
the right place and that you are ready to work. The table tent
should pre-sell you and your reading.
86
If you think of your

reading clients as
suckers or dupes,
they will never
accept you; after all
you are not
accepting them!
Isn't it interesting
that mentalism is a
profession in which
being an excellent
liar is a primary
qualification?
Editors note: Most paper supply stores now sell attractive,

preprinted stock for brochures, featuring full color accents and
themes. Your own personalized information is laser printed or
photocopied onto them, resulting in a very distinctive advertising
piece. The stores also stock pre-cut table tents, business cards, and
folders (for your up-sell readings) in coordinated designs.
Consultation Request - It pays to cover your assets by having
the sitter sign a release, especially if you are doing free readings.
Part of my release is an optional mailing list request.
Tick Sheet - If youre using a sheet of some sort, youll need to
buy them or research and write a form to use. Youll get better tips
and up-sells when you put something in your clients hand,
ensuring that your face, name, and phone number go with them.
Hours - Because I have day work, my public introductions to
numerology are in the evenings from 6 pm to 9 pm. The start time
lets me get people on their way home from work and staying later
in the evening allows me to catch those who are out on the town.
Duration - Because of the energy I put out in each one, doing
three hours of back-to-back readings is about max for me. This is
one reason why I dont like all-day psychic fairs.
Regular times -- If at all possible, go to your location on the
same days of the weeks and at the same times. This really helps
you get the most bang out of your advertising buck. My schedule is
so busy that I could select only one night, which is Wednesday.
When you stick to a regular schedule people know when to bring
their friends back.
Grooming - Unless youre doing biker bars, good grooming is
essential. Clean, trimmed nails, combed hair, brushed teeth, and a
supply of breath mints are necessary for any venue.
Clothing - Dress appropriately. My costume for reading is
exactly what Im wearing in my promotional pictures. Why make
em guess? People returning with their friends will immediately
recognize me.
Set up - It is wise to set up at your location at least 15 minutes
before your start time. Put out your table tents, get your forms in
order, and relax prior to your first reading.
Be semi-private - Working at my own table allows me to
control the privacy of the setting. After all, you are working with a
persons innermost self-concepts, thoughts, fears, and dreams.
Bother Me! - Unless you do table-hopping, you need to let
people know you are there to do readings. I have a big sign that
says, Check In Here -- even if Im with someone. Give them a
Consultation Request form so youll be ready to go when it is their
turn. When it is busy, I number the requests, so Im fair to those
who checked in first. Also, I take a break between readings,
walkaround the room ans mile at people,and ask if they would like
a reading. Here is why: A few folks are just too darned timid to
check in with you and will wait all night!
Personality Counts - Even though my publicity pictures are
serious, I have learned to have good time with the readings. At
one time I started taking myself seriously much too seriously!
87
But that didnt last long! I do much better being light and happy
while working; this has actually turned out to be a good combination.
The serious photos tell people Im not a comedian or clown, yet people
are delighted to find the readings are light and amusing.
Not Quite Satisfying - Telling em everything does increase your
tips but it reduces your sales of more expensive charts. Like
everything in life, the word is balance. One thing I dont do is tease
clients. As in, Ohhh, this is interesting how your Life Path and
Expression coordinate. You could have some serious problems ahead
we cant cover in a short reading. Now, if you buy my chart... I
consider this behavior one step above doing the Gypsy Switch of a
clients Cursed Money.
Tip Box Tips - At my table, I use a tip box. By accident, an early
client left part of a dollar bill sticking out of the box. Following
clients saw it and dollars started rolling in. The next week, I left a
corner of a five-dollar bill sticking out; they got the idea!
A separate, dedicated phone number - You dont want people
clients saw it and dollars started rolling in. The next week, I left a
corner of a five-dollar bill sticking out; they got the idea!
A separate, dedicated phone number - You dont want people
calling your home or business! Many voice-mail services offer an
instant phone number connected to a voice mail system. Mine even
pages me when a call comes in. At $10 a month you are in instant
communication. I recommend you customize your outbound message.
Here is mine:
Hi. Im David David Fredric Ashton III, and thank you for
calling! I cant pick up now, or Im on the other line, but I
would like to speak with you. In just a moment, youll have the
opportunity to leave a message hang on and please do let
me know you called.
And you know its true, some people feel a bit uncomfortable
about calling a Numerologist, I understand and its OK.
But some folks find it even more difficult to go through life,
having the same things happen to them, over and over.
See, by recognizing the numeric harmonics carried by your
name and date of birth, both your hidden and noticeable
patterns start to add up. Now, doesnt everyone want to feel
better about their lifes direction? Of course you do.
So if at the tone youll please clearly say your name and
telephone number and leave a complete message, Ill get back
to you promptly, fair enough?
Thanks a million. Heres the tone!
For the enterprising reader, the customers and venues await.
David is currently putting the finishing touches on a videotape
package which covers the subject of doing in-house readings in much
greater detail. You can inquire about a copy by contacting David at:
Diligent Publishing Company
5132 S.E. Flavel Drive, Suite 101
Portland, OR 97206
(503) 727-26543)
88
Volume 2, Number 1
Lee Woodside
Issue # 19
Not By Chance

Copyright1995
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Statistics demonstrate that most of us

believe in some form of Extra Sensory
Perception, explains the Mentalist, and
science has given us a way to test those
abilities. Would you like to try?
A standard deck of Rhine (ESP) cards
is shown, explained, and handed to a
participant for shuffling as the performer
continues, I will look at each symbol in order and
focus my mind upon it. You will record which of the five symbols
you sense I am projecting. The performer draws the five symbols
at the top of a pad and writes the numbers 1 through 25 in a
column down the left side of the page.
He explains, Please write each of your responses in order and
we will compare the results when we finish. Random chance would
account for a 20%, or one in five, success rate. Anything over that
denotes an elevated psi potential. Lets begin.
The performer picks up the shuffled deck and turns it so he can
see the bottom card only, then turns the pack face down again. He
concentrates on the target symbol just viewed and asks, Which
symbol do I have in mind?
The participant records his guess on the pad and the Mentalist
places the target card on the table. This procedure is repeated for
all 24 remaining symbol cards. When all the cards are on the table,
they are turned face up and checked against the entries made by
the participant. A significant number of hits is verified, attesting
to the participants ESP potential. This test can be repeated ad
infinitum, always with elevated scores on behalf of the participant.
Lee Woodside, who also credits Jim Short, did the math for this
presentation and the numbers are impressive, doubling the average
number of design matches for each run
of 25 symbol cards.
A professional
The secret is quite simple. When the
engineer living in
symbol recorded by the participant
Oklahoma City, Lee
matches the bottom card of the deck
Woodside is a part(the target card), that card is pulled
time professional
from the bottom of the deck and placed
entertainer.
in the pile on the table.
If, however, the participant misses
the target, the Mentalist performs a
glide move, pushing back the bottom card to withdraw the next
one instead. That gives the participant an additional opportunity
for success. While the new symbol will match only one out of five
times, thats still a 20 percent improvement over the statistical
norm, skewing the results enough to demonstrate psi potential.
And thats enough to run statistic-driven skeptics over the edge.
89
Ted Lesley
Money In Your Pocket

(Editors note: There is a reason this effect is one of Mentalisms
classics. Now you can learn the touch of a working professional. The
best ball point thumb writer I have found is Walts Ball Point Swami
Gimmick by Walt Noon. Order from your favorite dealer.)
Ladies and gentlemen, begins the Mentalist, mind reading is
an extremely intuitive process. So much of what we
perceive comes, not from overt observation, but from
subconscious perception. Let me give an example.
He points to a man seated in the audience and asks,
Would you please stand for a moment, sir? Have you
any idea the exact total of the coins you are carrying?
No? Wonderful! Please take your change from your
pocket and quietly count it now.
As the participant is counting, the performer pulls a
picture postcard from his pocket and writes something
on it, using a ball point pen which is then put away.
Ive written a message on this postcard. Please tell us
the value of the coins in your pocket.
The participant says (for example), Eighty-seven cents.
At this point, the performer pauses, looks down at the postcard
and back to the participant. Handing the card to a nearby member of
the audience to read aloud, the Mentalist, almost muttering to
himself, says, I cant understand it. Im never wrong. The second
participant reads aloud the total on the card, Ninety-seven cents.
The performer looks at the man, shrugs, and continues the show.
Several times during the program, the Mentalist will pause, search
out the same man in the audience, look at him, and shrug again.
At the end of the show, during his final bow, the performer stops
the applause and turns to the first participant to say, That ten cent
difference has been bothering me all during this show, and now I
think I have solved the problem. I predicted you would have ninetyseven cents in coins and you only counted eighty-seven cents. Would
you check your coat pockets please?
A look of surprise crosses over the mans face when he reaches
into his breast pocket and discovers a dime (ten-cent coin). I knew
it! exclaims the Mentalist, As I said, I am never wrong. He bows
and exits to renewed applause.
Writing on the flexible postcard guarantees a semi-legible
handwriting, a perfect match for the swami gimmick. Write
everything except the amount, leaving room for that to be entered
later. Place the pen behind your ear or clipped in your coat breast
pocket to serve as a visible reminder that the pen is put away before
the participant reveals his count. Or borrow a pen (actually writing
with the thumb writer) and return it before the total is said aloud.
The extra dime is easily dropped into the gentlemans pocket in
passing, or during a brief, pre-show moment.
90
Ted is Germanys #1
Mentalist. His
Wonder Workshop
produces first-class
props and routines
for performers
worldwide
Mark Edward
Clear Cut Choice
Mark knows the

secret of breathing
life into a standard
effect. If you get the
chance to attend his
lecture, drop
everything and go!
Pulling a handful of newspaper clippings from a collection in a

clear plastic bag, the Mentalist reveals, Reading the supermarket
tabloids is good therapy. After a few of these, I feel quite normal.
The performer reads aloud the outrageous headlines from the
clippings before handing them to members of the audience.
Lets use one of these stories, he continues, as the source for a
demonstration of precognition, a knowing in advance of the fact.
Turning to one member of the audience, the Mentalist asks, Reach
into the bag and withdraw one clipping only.
The participant takes out one clipping and hands it to the
performer, who reads aloud the headline and amplifies it with a few
humorous details from the column of text.
Next, the Mentalist holds a pair of open scissors with the clipping
dangling between the blades. I will move the scissors up and down
the column of typeset copy until you feel the urge to cut. Just say,
When. At the participants cue, the scissors snip and a portion of
the clipping flutters to the floor.
Please look at the topmost line of text in that column and find
the longest or most interesting word, instructs the performer,
Thats the one well use. The participant reads the word aloud.
A few days ago, explains the Mentalist, I mailed an envelope
to the entertainment committee. Ive always wanted to say this:
May I have the envelope, please? He opens the envelope and
shows the page within bearing, in large type, the selected word!
For this variation of the venerable Grants Want-Ad Test,
you need a dozen or so duplicate tabloid papers. Find a single
column of text with advertising or photos on the reverse side.
Trim these columns out of all the newspapers, varying their
lengths.
Locate the same long or interesting word near the top of each
column and cut across each column at that point, slanting the cut so
only that word in the top line is complete. Trim a selection of one or
two-column headlines from the tabloid and cement each column to a
different headline. Each column is attached upside down, which will
not be noticed from a moderate distance.
All of the prepared clippings are stuffed into the clear plastic bag.
Another half-dozen legitimate clippings are cut from the tabloid and
are put in the bag in a manner which allows you to keep them
separate from the others. These are the clippings you initially pull
out to read and give to the audience. Be sure to remove all of them.
When one of the remaining force columns is selected, quickly
take the clipping and read aloud the headline, pretending to read
additional details from the (upside down) column of text, actually
supplying them from memory. This is what sells the presentation.
After the scissors snip off the end the force column, its natural
for the participant to turn the column right-side-up to read.
91
Editors Desk
SYZYGYs Second Season

This issue is the first of Volume 2; SYZYGYs second year!
The real kudos still belong to the many contributors who have so
generously shared the products of their creativity.
Please note that there will be two ways to refer to each issue from
now on; the standard method (ie: Volume 2, #1) and the serial issue
number, now prominent on the front page, upper right corner.
Featured in this issue are two revisited classics of Mentalism.
They are classics because they are simple, direct, and entertaining.
German Wundermeister Ted Lesley was in Scottsdale, AZ this
week, as houseguest of Larry Becker. During a delightful lunch,
hosted by Dr. Juris and joined by tradeshow pro Gene Urban, Ted
contributed that which you find on page 90. He is on his way from
the east coast S.A.M. convention to a week playing at the Magic
Castle. He reports that English Mentalist Graham Jolly was a
standout on the Friday convention show in Boston.
Marc Psiman (I love that name!) has formed a new company,
Mind Mage Productions. He is building quite a reputation, anchored
by his appearances with the Becks department store chain in the
Southeast. Marc has already staked a claim to two titles for yet-tobe-written books: Psiman Sez and Marc My Words.
From Europe, Satori reports that he is getting inquiries about
doing some television work. Nothing definite yet, but who knows?
I just had a chance to read Using Your Intuitive Edge for Fun and
Profit by Richard Webster. If you have been trying to break into
the lucrative corporate speaking market, you have no more excuses;
Richard gives chapter and verse on how to do it. The book is packed
with fresh, timely, and inspiring material, including a full, one-hour
talk for which Richard includes performance rights. Contact
Richard at: 22 Marriott Road, Pakuranga, Auckland, New Zealand;
telephone (64) 9 576-5438, fax (64) 9 529-0914, or e-mail via
Internet: esp@magicnz.kiwi.gen.nz. The book is priced at US$35.00.
There are still a few Psi-Key gimmicks (issue #15) remaining at
$20.00, as well as some 3-ring SYZYGY collectors binders at $12.50
(U.S. shipping $2.50, airmail shipping to other countries $5.00).
In addition, I have some copies of Pieces of My Mind, the
collected reprints of the Mentalism advocacy columns I wrote in
1993-1995 for the M.U.M. (the members-only magazine of the
Society of American Magicians). Included are the effects from the
trick section in the December 94 issue which featured yours truly on
the cover, as well as those from the monthly columns. Its 48 pages,
81/2 x 11 inches, and magazine bound with a nice glossy cover.
Purchase one for $15.00 and Ill sign it and send it to you, postpaid.
The SYZYGYs BEST! lecture series is booking nicely, now. Ill
print a full schedule when all of the dates are set. There are still
some Spring, 1996 openings, but if you want your local group to
sponsor this event and havent pitched it to them yet, dont delay.
92
Volume 2, Number 2
Thomas Gentle
Issue # 20
Kismets Journey

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Visualization is one
technique for achieving ones
goal, claims the Mentalist,
and its an easy thing to
learn. Not only does this
process help focus your
mind on a particular
target, it also opens other,
more subtle channels for
communication between minds.
He continues, In the nature of an
experiment, I gave a set of index cards, bearing the
names of 30 or so U.S. cities, to a member of this audience a few
moments ago to help plan a journey. Is Mr. Smith present?
A participant stands to acknowledge that he is the person who
has agreed to attempt this experiment.
Directing his remarks at the volunteer, the performer
continues, %u were requested to select, entirely at random, a pair
of cities to serve as your points of origin and destination. Have you
done that yet? The participant confirms that he has done so.
By the way, have you, asks the Mentalist, told anyone else
your selections or written those city names at any time? The
helper assures the audience that no information was written.
The performer says, Great! Please pull the index cards bearing
those two cities from the group and hold them in your hand. Form
a picture in your mind of the city in which you will start your
imaginary journey. Use your minds eye to see the landmarks. Are
you doing that? Good. Now visualize your destination city in the
same manner. In fact, as you make your mental trek, stop along
the way at several more cities; you can even go out of your way if
you like. While youre at it, pull those city names from the pack of
index cards, and put the remainder aside.
Waiting until the participant is
holding the cards for each stop in the Thomas is a nuclear
imaginary trip, the Mentalist directs,
pharmacist who
As I call out my impressions, if I name
performs his
a city in your hand, hold it up for the
Mentalism for
rest of the audience to see. Now
banquet
groups and
concentrate on your journey.
at social occasions
There is a strong impression of
stainless steel...a landmark...not a
building...an arch! Your first city is St. Louis! Go to your next stop.
I see a large building...a dome...but not quite - theres a hole it
it...its Texas Stadium near Dallas, isnt it? The Mentalist
continues until all the cities in the tour are named correctly.
Please turn to JOURNEY, page 96
93
Travis Nelson
Touch Technique
One of the most valuable bits of knowledge gained from the study
of human psychology is that physically touching an individual will
almost always amplify the impact of a presentation. Combining
that knowledge with his experience as a hypnotist, Travis has
developed an absolutely awesome technique. Although this
presentation is written as a card revelation, it will work
well when used with a drawing duplication, word test, etc.
There is a technique for concentration, instructs the
Mentalist, that enhances our innate ability to transmit
mental images. You will be astonished at the results.
Removing a deck of cards from its case, the performer
continues, Almost every poker player harbors the fantasy
of being able to see into an opponents mind to learn the
identity of his face down hole card. That seems as
entertaining a basis for our experiment as any, so please
pull your hole card from the pack, look at it and show it to
someone else, then lose it among the other cards.
Once this is accomplished, the pack of cards is put away.
This is a concentration technique, the Mentalist informs,
which is an extension of brain research. But success
depends upon your total focus. Disappointment is
certain if you fail to muster every reasonable effort.
Please form an image in your mind of someone with
whom you have a positive feeling or who is friendly
toward you. You wont tell anyone what that image is, but please
indicate with your finger where in your mind that picture resides. It
could be here (touches forehead), back here (touches back of head), or
here (touches behind one ear), or over here (touches other side of
head). Do you have the image? Put your finger on its location.
The participant places a finger at a particular place on his head.
If the participant has a difficult time accomplishing this task or
balks at forming a mental image, the performer continues, If you
were to imagine a picture of that person, where might it be?
Placing his finger lightly on the exact spot indicated by the
participant, the Mentalist requests, Now replace that image with
one of the playing card youre thinking of in that exact same spot.
Let the friends image fade as the cards image comes into focus.
Turn up the brightness a little. Yes! Its a black suit. More
brightness! There. I think you have done it perfectly. You are
thinking of the six of clubs!
The method is yours to choose; its the incredibly powerful
presentation we are discussing here. Force a card, use a marked
deck, or otherwise learn the identity of the card. For a drawing
duplication, pre-show work or forcing the image works well.
This technique draws upon strong hypnotic phrases and concepts
which have an effect all out of proportion to its difficulty. Try it.
94
Travis Nelsons velvet

voice can be heard on
his commercial
hypnosis audio tape,
marketed by Flora &
Co. of Albuquerque,
NM.
John Riggs
Dream Design
John has discovered

the secret for success
in Mentalism is the
same as the slogan for
those athletic shoes:
Just Do It!
Long a staple of modern Mentalism, the Gary Inglese & Danny

Laub plot line, The Dream, is given a new face in this
presentation.
The human mind is an image processing device of the highest
order, states the performer, which is capable of instantly
recognizing and categorizing an unlimited number of shapes. Here
are more than two dozen examples.
The Mentalist thumbs through a packet of index cards, each of
which bears a simple symbol, casually drawn in black crayon.
He continues, These symbols often appear in our dreams,
inserted by our subconscious as visual messages. There are shelves
of books which teach how to interpret the symbology of dreams.
Showing several to the audience, the performer describes them,
For example an octagon represents a stop sign, a subconscious
symbol to take a break, while an S with a vertical line through it
suggests money or financial problems. An arrow-pierced heart
could only mean concerns with love.
The performer stops and allows his eyes to fall upon a woman
near the front of the audience. But what happens when a stranger
appears in a dream? Someone exactly like you. Do you believe that
it was only chance which placed you in this audience? Perhaps. I
think its possible to know for certain because, in my dream you
were always accompanied by one, particular shape.
Gazing into her eyes, the Mentalist asks, In your mind, which
shape represents you? She answers, A happy face.
Thumbing through the index cards, the performer
exclaims, Thats amazing. You see, in my dream
the image associated with you was almost exactly
the same. Here it is... He cuts to the index card
and shows the drawing. It is the Forrest
Gump, bumper sticker smiley face.
A skeptic in the audience might very
well claim that the symbols here represent
virtually every possibility. But theres one
more little thing; in the dream you also told
me your name, so I wrote it down. Tell me
again, now. She says her name is Shirley.
The Mentalist turns the index card
around. On the reverse side is written the name, Shirley! The cards
are left with the audience.
How? Learn the womans name before the show and write it on
the back of a blank index card and place it 3rd or 4th from the face
of the packet. During the show, bring it to the face of the pack
when you show a few drawings. As you thumb through the pack
pretending to look for her design, all you do is draw that symbol
using a Listo lead Boon writer (swami gimmick).
Push that index card to the left, drawing it off onto the face of
the left hand packet when you divide the pack near the center.
95
Editors Desk
Anchors Aweigh!
This column is normally reserved for news of the trade, but I
hope youll excuse a fathers pride. My son, Warren Paul Earle, is
now carrying on the family tradition of service in the United States
Navy. He reported for his recruit training at the Great Lakes Naval
Training Center on July 25th, having volunteered for duty as a
helicopter-borne rescue swimmer. I am at once immensely proud
and incredibly apprehensive. Now that hes gone, the household is
strangely quiet. Funny, I once thought I would enjoy the solitude.
Paul Alberstat of Calgary, Canada, reports the sad news that
long-time Mentalism supporter, dealer, and friend Micky Hades
suffered a serious stroke recently, losing some of his sight as well as
the ability to speak clearly. I spoke to a family member and was told
that he is improving. Micky would benefit from your well wishes so
please send your encouragement in care of his son Brian Hades, at
31 Millbank Crescent SW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2Y 2B9.
Contrary to rumors being circulated recently, Riley G., bane of
P.S.I.C.O.P., is still among the living. It was his brother who was
murdered in mid-July. Riley, you have our deepest sympathies.
Larry Becker trumpets the establishment his new venture, the
Prostate Cancer Communication Resource, a non-profit information
and education organization. A prostate cancer survivor himself,
Larry is a tireless advocate for early detection and intervention,
employing his considerable talents to promote, entertain, inform,
and cajole on behalf of people touched by this frightening disease.
John Riggs has written yet another book, The Compleat
Fortune-Teller. Highly recommended. Conversational style and
Johns eccentric manner highlight his unambiguous thought
process. Chapter 5, An interview with the left brain, is deadly.
JOURNEY, continued
The city names are printed, in large letters, on unprepared index
cards. Before the show, once the origin and destination cities have
been freely selected, the participant is asked to draw his as the crow
flies route on a simple map to help visualize it. You suggest, While
youre at it, include a visit to 2 or 3 more cities on the way.
That map is placed, for his writing convenience, on an
impression clipboard which makes a secret copy of his zig-zag route.
The participant is told, Please take the map and study it for a
few moments, visualizing the trip and remembering each city
visited. Once youve memorized everything, you should dispose of
the map. Retain the city cards; Ill collect them from you later.
Remember, share your choices with with no one. Thanks.
In privacy, access the clipboards secret copy and place a
duplicate of the map, photocopied on clear acetate plastic, over the
zig-zag line to reveal each city along the route.
96
Volume 2, Number 3
Terry Nosek
Issue # 21
Monte Logo

Copyright1995
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
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There are a number of

companies, informs the
Mentalist, which are
closely identified with their
advertising logos. We see a
specific shape and think of
the associated company.
Taking a felt tip pen and
sketching on the back of a
business card, the performer
continues, For example if I draw
this familiar circle-W, you think of
Westinghouse appliances.
This one, the performer says as he continues to draw, is easily
recognized as Mercedes-Benz. Another instant association comes
with this one, the symbol of the Bell Telephone Company. Several
more well known logo shapes are drawn and shown.
Psychologists insist that these imbedded identities elicit
predictable reactions as well, and thats the point of this
experiment. From among the examples on the table, one of them
will stand out in your mind because of its subconscious appeal.
The Mentalist continues, I have a hunch about the one to which
you will feel somehow drawn and Ill put my thought in writing.
He scribbles something on the back of a final business card, turns it
writing-side-down, and places it on the table. Lets see just how
susceptible you are to advertisings siren call. Dont read it yet, but
slip my hunch card under the company logo of your choice.
The Mentalist removes the remaining logo drawings from the
table. Lets see, he says, how accurate my perceptions are. You
selected the Texaco corporate logo. The performer turns the pair of
cards over to show the back side of his
prediction business card which says,
You will go far in life, especially with a
Terry, author of The
full tank of Texaco gasoline.
Collected Works of
The series of logos is drawn, in a
Dr. Sigmund Fraud,
memorized order, on business cards
is a resident of Las
which are actually blank on both sides.
Vegas
The reverse side of each is prepared by
writing, in the same memorized order,
a series of relevant hunch phrases.
You only pretend to write on the final card; it is actually printed
as a business card on both sides. After you turn the card over (as if
turning it writing-side-down), the participant can slide it under his
chosen logo. Pick up the two, comment on the logo and, using the
classic 2-card monte move, turn the cards over together while
spreading them apart.
97
Chase Goforth
Nada Clue
Detectives often follow their hunches, remarks the
Mentalist, which will sometimes lead to the evidence
necessary for an arrest. Usually those gut-feelings
can be traced to an intuitive assessment of subtle
clues. At other times, the investigator appears to be
nothing less than clairvoyant.
He places on the table before him a set of cards
from the parlor game CLUE. Next to them, he
places a small manila envelope marked, Evidence Handle With Care and remarks, Lets see if someone
here can apply those same psychic perceptions.
Introducing the cast of characters by way of narrative
the performer begins, A harbinger of the howling tempest to
come, the foreboding sky darkened as the six suspects-to-be
assembled in the dining room. Showing the faces of the game cards
in illustration of his story, the Mentalist continues, Mrs. White,
bearing a tray of cheese and crackers from the kitchen, arrived to
find professor Plum reading a volume borrowed from the library.
Mr. Green, his fingers still damp from watering the ferns in the
conservatory, exclaimed, Look who I found in the hall, the lovely
Miss Scarlet! I took the liberty of escorting her here. The dowager,
Mrs. Peacock, sniffed and said, I would have thought the lounge
would be her preferred destination. By the way, has anyone seen
Colonel Mustard?
As if on cue, a booming parade-ground voice announced, Sorry
Im late. I found the billiard room an irresistable attraction. Where
is our host, Mr. Boddy?
The performer explains, It was at that point that a bolt of
lightning from the storm flashed across the sky. The room went
dark. Thirteen minutes later, the lights came on to reveal the corpse
of Mr. Boddy sprawled on the ballroom floor. A search of the house
led to the following potential murder weapons: A revolver, a lead
pipe, a knife, a candlestick, a wrench, and a length of rope.
Spreading each of the three packets of face down game cards, the
performer asks, With no knowledge of the evidence envelopes
contents, engage your clairvoyant senses to guide your hand to a
selection. Withdraw one each; a room, a suspect, and a weapon.
Each freely selected card is placed face down on top of its packet.
After all three have been chosen, they are all turned face up. They
are, in this instance, the wrench, the library, and Colonel Mustard.
The contents of the envelope are emptied onto the table; a small
wrench, a library card, and a single serving packet of mustard!
How? The cards which match the envelopes items are secretly
marked on their backs. If an unmarked card is chosen by the
participant, the marked card is secretly cut to the top of its packet to
position it for a subsequent double lift and turnover.
98
Chase is a university
student in Arkansas
who obviously has a
future in Mentalism
Lee Earle
Go Weigh
Nothing has more

impact than a clear,
unambiguous
demonstration of
Psycho-Kinetic
ability. But keep it
subtle, please.
Psychics have claimed for years, informs the Mentalist, the

ability to use their minds to bend metal or fracture glass. But
focused mind power often has another, almost imperceptible effect.
A small electronic scale (not much larger than a scientific
calculator) is removed from its case, placed on the table, and
switched on. The digital readout shows 0.00 grams.
The performer asks, Would you please lend us several small
items you may have in your possession, such as keys, coins, a comb,
a pen or pencil, etc? Place them in a row here, in front of the scale.
The participant is handed a pencil and note pad. Weigh each
item, instructs the Mentalist, and make a notation of its weight,
accurate to two decimal points. The helper does as instructed.
Please note, continues the performer, that I will never touch
any of the items. Now that the exact weight of each item is known,
please pick up any one of the items and close your fist around it.
The Mentalist holds his opened hands above and below the
participants fist, closes his eyes and whispers, If were successful,
you may question your senses. I promise. His hands begin to
shake, weaving and orbiting around the hand-hidden item.
Opening his eyes, the performer relaxes and says, Ive done all
I can. Weigh the item again. Youll probably be surprised.
When the participant places the item on the scale once more,
it is at least several grams lighter! The unselected items will, of
course, still weigh the same as before.
Attached to the scales leather carrying case, which is
placed across the table from you, is a length of invisible
thread. The thread is run across the scales pan and over
the tables edge, into your lap. To register a higher, bogus
weight for an item, take the slack out of the thread and
trap it between the table edge and your thumb. Lay a
finger on the thread to draw down the scales pan.
Only one item is tampered with, ideally the second
one, then pull the thread free to eliminate the gaff.
Select the target item via equivoque. Pick up one item in your
right hand...and close your fist around it. If its not the one you
want, finish that sentence, ...and one in your left hand... If
neither is the target, finish with, ...and place them both aside.
Should the left hand now hold the one you want, say, Feel one hand
start to rise. When the left hand rises you remark, Thats the one
which wants to become lighter. Hold on to it tightly. A rising
right hand gets, ...place that item back with the others.
In the case of your target object being among the three
remaining, ask your participant, Pick up the three items in one
hand. Now take one item in your other hand. Good! Close your fist
around it. When the target is not the one transferred, Fine, place
it with the other discards. Proceed as with two items, above.
99
Editors Desk
The Bandwagon
Most observers concur that Mentalism is growing at a faster pace
than in years past. One performer lamented that, because more
magicians are making the transition, the boundaries between mental
magic and Mentalism will become blurred.
Im not worried. Mentalism is a tough specialty. With nothing but
premise and personality to hold an audience, many will soon lose
interest. The survivors are the young turks (Tim Conover, Craig
Karges, Steve Shaw, et al) who bring with them the energy to move
Mentalism forward. Theyre drawing new lines.
Deanna Shimada has published The Book of Psychic Readings,
authored by Daniel Hamilton (37 pages, spiral bound, $35.00). It
contains seven (10 to 30 minute) readings. The readings are similar to
those one might hear at a psychic fair. They are transcribed from
actual consultations and incorporate a liberal dose of new-age
terminology and perspective. If you prefer to memorize a script for ad
lib playback, this material could prove useful. Address your orders to
Deanna at: 4612 Gas Light Circle, Las Vegas, NV 89119. Phone (702)
736-0019 or (702) 798-8114 fax.
Another happy birthday to announce:
Miss Leah Rose Orleans made her
debut on August 4, 1995 at 1:17 a.m.
Daughter of the Mentalist team of
Jan and Danny Orleans of Chicago,
she weighed in at 8 pounds, 4.5 ounces.
Mother, baby, and dad are doing well.
San Diegos David Winston reports a local booker offered his name
among a selection of notables such as Neil Armstrong, Bruce Jenner,
Mike Ditka, and fashion cynic Mr. Blackwell. Two interesting points
Armstrong soft-lands for 25K plus expenses and Davids price was not
the lowest of the group. By the way, he has agreed to contribute a
special issue on his promo techniques.
Heres the Fall schedule for the SYZYGYs BEST! lecture tour:
Sept. 6 Phoenix, AZ
18 Chatsworth, CA
19 Orange County, CA
20 Buena Park, CA (workshop)
28 Kansas City, MO
30 Chicago, IL (Magic, Inc.)
Oct. 9 Palo Alto, CA
10 Sacramento, CA
16 Baltimore, MD
17 South Plainsfield, NJ
18 Nashua, NH
19-22 The Inn Event
23 Buffalo, NY
26 Cleveland, OH
Nov. 5 Dallas, TX
6 Tulsa, OK
7 Oklahoma City, OK
8 Austin, TX
9 Houston, TX
10 Rio Grande Vly, TX
11 New Orleans, LA
13 Baton Rouge, LA
Ill be in Boston on Feb. 16 & 17, and another trek puts me in
Pittsburgh and Detroit, March 7 & 9. If you can suggest a potential
lecture or workshop group within a half-days drive (on either side of
the above dates), please get in touch.
100
Volume 2, Number 4
Dave Arch
Issue # 22
Quintuple

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
While speaking
to a potential
client over the
telephone, the
Mentalist
explains, Many who
express a belief in psychic matters claim that a personal item, a
souvenir, keepsake, or a favorite piece of jewelry for example, will
absorb energy from its owner.
In fact, the longer it has been in a persons possession,
continues the performer, the more absorbed energy it will reradiate. Lets test that theory.
While you are listening to my voice, select a personal item for
which you have an emotional attachment and place it on the surface
in front of you. Then choose 4 other non-personal items (such as a
paper clip, pencil, scissors, notepad, etc.) and place them in a row
next to your personal item which should remain at the far right end
of the row. At least for now. Have you done that?
Heres how well proceed: When I say the word, change, you
will exchange the personal item for the item on either side of it,
reversing the two items positions. Is that clear?
The Mentalist continues his explanation, Of course the first
swap will move your personal item to the second position from the
right end of the row, so go ahead and change it now. As we go
onward from this point, however, Ill have no clue as to which
positions are being exchanged because you can choose the item to
the left or to the right of your personal item for the switch. Do you
understand? Good, lets go on.
Let your eyes roam across the row of items and change. With
the item on either side of your personal object, change. Now change
again. Finally, change one more time.
Now it gets interesting. Remove
the article at the far left end of the row. At $1.99 per minute,
I sense that the energy is not in that
you can hear the
position. There are only four items in
latest routine from
the row. Change one more time.
Daves Mentalism
Again, remove the leftmost item
phone line at 1-900from the row. The personal energy is
234-7575, ext. 6227
still not there. Once more, change. Let
your eyes look across the row of three
items. Still, the left item has no energy. Eliminate it.
Focus your vision on your personal item so I can see through
your eyes. Yes! This time, take away the item on the right. Your
personal article remains. Thats the power of psychometry!
The handling is automatic; just keep the number of exchanges
and the points at which items are removed the same as scripted.
101
Wittus Witt
Half Hearted
Lubor Fiedler introduced the idea upon which this piece is based
in Zauberkunst, a magazine printed in the former East Germany.
Lovers often pledge their affection for one another by exchanging
a special type of jewelry. Each of them wears a pendant which is
one-half of a heart, divided down the middle, signifying that each
person is incomplete without the other.
The Mentalist shows four heart-shaped pieces of
paper, each imprinted with a different shaded
pattern. On one heart, the lined pattern is
horizontal, on another the design is vertical. The
third heart has diagonal stripes running from
upper left to lower right while the fourth heart has
its stripes aligned upper right to lower left.
In the nature of an experiment in
syncronicity, continues the performer, Ill scissor
each one in half, right down the middle. After each
heart is bisected, one half is placed into a dark
envelope and the other into a light colored envelope.
After all four hearts are divided and the pieces are
gathered in the two envelopes, the performer says to a member of
his audience, Please select, for your own use, either the light
envelope or the dark one. The participant takes the remaining one.
The Mentalist asks, Hold your envelope where I cannot see it,
reach inside and grasp one of the pieces. Now look into my eyes.
Yes, I think I have an impression. He looks into his envelope,
studies the four half-hearts within, and selects one of them. He
holds the piece for all to see.
Now, he asks, please bring out your half and lets check. I
think we have perfect rapport. The two pieces are placed next to
one another. The pattern matches perfectly.
The following page is your pattern for producing the four hearts.
Place it on a photocopy machine and make a double-sided copy, then
cut out one column of four hearts.
When you cut the hearts down the middle and divide the halves
into the two envelopes, just remember to place the right half of the
two upper (horizontal & vertical) designs in the same envelope as
the left half of the two lower (diagonal slanting) designs.
Due to Fiedlers brilliant topological design, each segment in one
envelope can now be made to match any piece from the other. How?
Place the first piece on the table and then align the second piece on
one side or the other of the first to make a match.
You can repeat with a second and a third participant if you learn
to recognize the pattern variations. If the first hearts pattern was
diagonal, place your tabled piece to force a horizontal or vertical
match (or vice-versa, of course). Be prepared to turn the particpants
piece over when you take it from her for the match.
102
Wittus Witts regular

spot on German T.V.
every 2nd Tuesday
has made good use of
SYZYGYs material.
Now he returns the
favor with this piece.
Front Side
Back Side
Editors Desk
Speechless in Seattle
Responding to a survey published last April, subscribers listed
their favorite performance pieces from the first 15 issues. Of those,
six were selected to be developed into a lecture.
The new lecture had its shakedown cruise in Scottsdale, AZ, last
September 6th. The local Assembly is almost always guaranteed to
provide a friendly venue, but with George Sands, Docc Hilford,
and Dr. Juris in the audience, you can understand why the anxiety
level notched up a bit. I really wanted the material to go over well,
but performing (and teaching from) material developed by five other
performers is a scary thing.
I shouldnt have worried. After all, the lecture is truly named:
SYZYGYs BEST!
The response was more than encouraging.
When I published the lecture tour in issue #21, I slipped a
typographical error into a confusing layout. Heres the corrected
Fall schedule for SYZYGYs BEST! :
Sept.
27 Kansas City, MO
30 Chicago, IL (Magic, Inc.)
Oct.
9 Palo Alto, CA
10 Sacramento, CA
16 Baltimore, MD
18 Nashua, NH
19-22 The Inn Event
23 Buffalo, NY
26 Cleveland, OH
Nov.
5 Dallas, TX
6 Oklahoma City, OK
7 Tulsa, OK
8 Austin, TX
9 Houston, TX
10 Rio Grande Vly, TX
11 New Orleans, LA
13 Baton Rouge, LA
Larry Becker expects to be shipping his new set of video tapes
any day now, and he has them in both NTSC (U.S. Standard) and
PAL (European Standard) VHS format. He will take your telephone
or fax order at +602 488-0980. I think the price is around seventy
bucks or so, and worth many times that: Larry is a class act.
David Fredric Ashton, III sent a pre-press copy of his new,
revised Confessions of a Coffee House Psychic for perusal. Wow! He
has really fleshed it out with solid, practical information covering
every phase of setting up your own operation. Everything from
selecting a font for typesetting your table tents to the text for your
telephone answering machine message is detailed. Im impressed.
Ill let you know when David is ready to begin taking orders.
Another manuscript, How To Make And Tell Fortunes, by Max
Morgan, arrived the other day. I first got to know him (by
telephone) when he was working the holiday resorts and cruise
ships in the eastern Mediterranean. His expertise oozes out of
every one of the 60 pages in this informative guide to success. It
includes a beautifully adaptable tic sheet. He said he would give
me the price after the books arrive from the bindery.
Didnt intend for this issues Editors Desk to become a tout
sheet, but this is good stuff and I thought youd want to know.
104
Volume 2, Number 5
Terry Nosek
Issue # 23
Four Way A-Hoy

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
The performer twists two elastic bands

(the second one is insurance) around the
center of a deck of cards and asks,
When I toss this pack of playing cards
to several of you, please open one end
of the deck and peek at a single card.
Like this... The Mentalist
demonstrates how to lift one end of the
pack. Remember the card you see by picturing
it visually. For example if you look at the, he peeks at the card,
seven of clubs, imagine seven golf clubs in a bag.
The performer opens the deck and looks at another card, Should
you see the three of diamonds, visualize diamond rings on three
fingers of your hands. Its important to use your minds eye.
Gently tossing the pack to a member of the audience, the
performer asks, Open the deck, look at only one card, and then
picture it in your mind. Got it? Two other participants are
requested to peek and visualize in the same manner.
Would all three of you please stand? Look directly at me,
instructs the Mentalist, I need to see your eyes. Keep those images
in your minds. I think were ready. When I name the card you are
visualizing, please sit down. Two of spades, king of hearts, and four
of clubs. Two of the three participants take their seats.
I knew you would be trouble, jokes the performer to the
standing participant, so visualize your choice one more time. Yes.
If I name the card you have imaged in your mind, will you sit down
and lead the applause? You are picturing the seven of hearts! The
participant sits and begins an enthusiastic round of applause.
The deck is a four-way force deck consisting of 13 each of four
different cards plus a different single card on the face of the pack.
The Mentalists demonstration is
Most performers
pure bluff, miscalling the peeked cards
know Hoys Tossed
as the 7 of clubs and 3 of diamonds.
When the performer names 3 of the Out Deck and the
Tappan-Ross
4 force cards, there is a 42% probability
Princess
A-Hoy.
that all three will take their seats.
Heres one more
Another 42% of the time, a single
subtlety.
person remains standing. Name the
fourth force card and he sits.
For that 14% of the time when only one person sits, admit that
you tried to do too much at once. Ask the remaining participants to
re-visualize, lock eyes with each for ten seconds or so. Call the last
force card and one indifferent card.
Less than 2% of the time, when all three remain standing, recite
the same reasons for missing, then name the fourth force card and
two other indifferent cards.
105
Kenton
Wax The Facts

From the days of the earliest spiritualists, one
of the performers prime concerns has been that
of gaining access to a copy of information which
is written, in private, by the participant.
Various methods have been devised. An early
solution is the Anna Eva Fay impression pad which
uses wax coated paper to leave an invisible
impression to be revealed by sprinkling with
powdered graphite or lampblack. The modern
clipboard, with its supersensitive surfaces making a secret carbon
copy of every pen stroke, is a staple among contemporary Mentalists.
Other principles magnetic, chemical, & electronic all have their
devotees as well.
Now Mentalists can add one more option to their lists of
clandestine devices and methods.
The manufacturer of the Crayola brand of crayons is marketing a
new product which cries out for application within the field of
Mentalism.
That product is Crayola CHANGEABLES.
Open a box of these crayons an you find six colored crayons (red,
yellow, blue, green, orange, and pink) as well as two color changer
crayons which are colorless.
One first scribbles on paper with one of the standard crayons,
laying down the color of ones choice. When the color changer
crayon is marked over the existing color, a chemical reaction occurs
which causes the original color to change.
Orange becomes black, green turns violet, red alters to blue,
yellow transforms to green, blue changes to violet, and pink morphs
into yellow.
Challenged by friend J. Tank to find a use for this interesting
product, Kenton immediately put his unique twist on the order in
which the crayons are used and revisited the Anna Eva Fay
principle. Heres how:
Using the color changer crayon, apply a liberal coating of the
colorless crayon to one side of a piece of paper. Then use a piece of
facial tissue to buff the deposited wax to a smooth, invisible finish.
You have created a piece of invisible carbon paper.
With a medium-tip ballpoint pen used to get the best result,
anyone writing on the uncoated side of the paper will transfer a
colorless duplicate of that writing, in invisible color changer crayon,
to the piece of paper beneath.
Take the secret copy backstage and lightly cover the paper with
strokes from one of the colored crayons (orange to black is my
favorite), completely coloring the surface. The invisible image will
develop before your eyes. Experiment with it to get the right touch.
106
Kenton revealed this

colorful secret
during a meeting of
Arizonas Mentalism
think tank, the Six
and One Half
John Riggs
Ultimate Psychometry
This concept from

Johns new book,
The Compleat
Fortune Teller,
requires a performer
with considerable
testicular fortitude.
(Editor: This is the real work from someone who works it.)
There is a belief, begins the Mentalist, that each of us
generates, to a greater or lesser degree, an energy field - or aura.
To one trained in perceiving this psychic radiation, the aura can be
seen as dancing hues of color or sensed as a vibration.
As we begin this experiment in reading the human energy field,
I guarantee that you are about to witness something you have
never experienced before. When I point to you, the performer
instructs, please reach into your pocket or purse and grasp an item
which you have owned for at least 7 days.
Five persons, two male and three female, are pointed out. The
Mentalist continues, While you hold your object concealed in your
hand, please join me on the platform and take a seat.
Opening a small paper bag, the performer asks, Please place
each object in this bag. I promise I wont peek. He turns his head
as all five items are dropped into the bag.
I must eliminate visual cues and use only my intuitive mind to
analyze these items, he says, while affixing a rolled handkerchief
as a blindfold, I want to see with my mind, not my eyes!
The Mentalist pulls one item from the bag, holds it in his hand,
and then delivers a stunningly accurate reading to the person who
owns the object, returning it to that person at the end of the
reading. This procedure is repeated with each participant.
Johns technique uses no gimmicks or marking system!
Everything is done using subtle clues and clever psychology.
The first clues come from the items as they are dropped into the
bag resting on the palm of your hand. You can get a good idea as to
the relative weight of each item (as well as other physical
properties) because the bag is too small for your participants hands;
each item must be dropped. Sound provides some additional input.
Due to the 3:2 female to male ratio, you can easily narrow the
possibilities for a given item even more. Even if you manage to get
no information on the artifacts, you will ultimately be successful.
Thats because the best clues come due to the use of the
blindfold! It is very difficult for the target of a well delivered cold
reading to hide his reactions; the blindfold eliminates any reason
for your participants to attempt to keep a poker face. Thus, when
you get your hits in the reading, the owner of the object will smile,
or nod, or give a puzzling look when you toss a verbal curve ball.
A direct question such as, Are you starting to get that Twilight
Zone feeling? will always trigger a giveaway reaction.
The blindfold allows full forward vision. Roll opposite corners of
a square handkerchief diagonally toward the center, forming two
parallel tubes of fabric joined by a single layer of cloth. The double
rolled hank is tied around your head, one roll above and one roll
below your eyes allowing vision through a single layer of fabric.
107
Editors Desk
Tidbits for October

Ill be on the road, unable to field all the phone calls, so here are
the contact numbers for this months SYZYGYs BEST! hosts:
October 16 Baltimore, MD
Denny Haney
410 686-3914
George Colavito
908 561-5258
18 Nashua, NH
Jim Wuorio
603 595-3302
19-22 The Inn Event
Bob Weill
716 754-2826
23 Buffalo, NY
George Graham
716 693-7930
26 Cleveland, OH
Neil Rozum
216 333-4664
Bob Weill, host of The Inn Event, tells me that he has had three
last-minute cancellations for the sold-out gathering. If you would like
to attend the final conclave of the last old fashioned convention, give
Bob a call. The convention hotel is exactly one block from the
fabulous Niagara Falls. What a view!
While on the subject of conventions, Docc Hilfords Weerd
Weekend IV will have John Booth as guest of honor. This very
eclectic assembly will meet November 2nd through November 4th at
the Doubletree Suites in Phoenix. Registration is still $150.00. For
reservations, call: 602 230-4251.
Max Morgan e-mailed to inform that his new book, How to Make
and Tell Fortunes, is now available for US$40.00, which includes
postage anywhere in the world. I assume he intends to send via air
mail, but you might want to ask. His phone number in England is
(44) + 121 430 2444, phone or fax, and he does accept some credit
cards. Hell be at the Weerd Weekend, signing copies of the book.
One of SYZYGYs multiple-contributors, Christopher Caldwell,
has made news again. Arizonas largest morning daily newapaper,
The Arizona Republic, recently devoted a two-column headline and a
lenghty article to him, detailing his career mix of Mentalism and FM
radio broadcasting.
I wonder how many other Mentalists have broadcasting in their
biographies? Ned Rutledge, Jon Kealoah, and Ward Lucas come
to mind right away...
The sad news comes that SYZYGY subscriber and P.E.A. member
Larry Weinstein, of the Philadelphia area, fell to a heart attack on
September 15th. He will be missed.
Last minute phone calls confirm that one more friend has passed
on. John Delany of Coral Gables, FL is no longer with us, leaving
yet another void which can never be filled.
108
Volume 2, Number 6
Tony Devine
Issue # 24
Payday

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
As someone who
advocates the full use of
every one of our mental
attributes, begins the
Mentalist, I am often
challenged to put my
money where my mouth is.
To that end, Ive decided to
place at risk your groups
check for my performance fee
tonight.
The performer introduces
the person who has been
holding the check and hands him five envelopes, asking him to keep
one and hand the remaining envelopes to four other people of his
choice. Each of those envelopes is sealed and placed on a table,
center stage.
Please place my potential payoff in your envelope and seal it,
just as the four empty envelopes were. The fifth, and most
important envelope is tossed on top of the others. Stepping off to
one side, the performer adds, In fact, mix the pile of envelopes, so
no one will know which one contains the check.
This is where your fine-tuned senses come into play. Spread
the five envelopes across the table top. You should have no idea,
the performer confirms, which envelopes are empty and which one
has the check, right? The participant agrees.
Pick up one envelope in each hand, the Mentalist instructs,
and weigh them in your mind. Good. Theyre both the same and
therefore empty. Destroy them. The envelopes are torn to bits.
The performer goes on, Now take two more, one in each hand.
Make your mind a sensitive balance
scale. Yes. These are different.
Tony acknowledges
Destroy the one on the table. The
the genius of
tabled envelope is shredded.
Maurice Fogels
Once again, says the Mentalist,
Cheating the
hold the remaining two. Feel them in
Gallows
psychology
your mind. Of course. Its in the left
and happily borrows
hands envelope. Eliminate the right
it for his own use.
hand envelope, please. Its destroyed.
The performer recounts, Since
there were 5 envelopes and 4 have been destroyed, there are 4
chances out of 5 that I will go home unpaid. I know what youre
thinking; if I fail, Ill just have the host write another check. But I
wont do that. If my check isnt in that final envelope, this show will
have been done for free.
Please turn to CHECK, page 112
109
Patrik Kuffs
Hands of Time
The five senses to which we usually refer, begins the Mentalist,
are the physical senses. There is literally another dimension to our
senses; consider our sense of time...
Pointing to someone wearing a wristwatch, the performer asks,
Please join me in front of the group. You have two things I need:
Your watch and your mind. Does it work well? Your watch, I mean.
Good. Please remove it for a moment.
The Mentalist asks, Pull out the stem and spin the hands, then
leave the stem out and hand it to me, please.
The performer opens a folded square of paper and duplicates the
watchs face on it before handing the sketch to the participant.
Somewhere in time, he begins, there has been a moment which
was very important to you. If you know that events exact time of
occurance, keep it uppermost in your mind. If you cannot recall a
precise time, for the purposes of this experiment, use your best
estimate of the time of day it took place.
Indicating the paper bearing the image of the timepiece, the
Mentalist instructs, Draw in the short hour and long minute hands
to indicate that time. Then burn that image into your brain. After
you have shown it to your mind a while, refold the paper.
Turning to the audience, the performer says, Finally, we need a
witness with good vision who can easily see the hands on this watch.
Would you, pointing to a nearby person, join us and hold this
watch a moment? The first helper is told, Lets destroy the image;
only the picture in your mind is to remain. The Mentalist tears the
folded paper and drops the pieces into his pocket.
To the witness, the performer says, Please look over my shoulder
as I spin the hands on his watch. To the first participant, he asks,
Think first of the hour in your mind. Only the hour and not the
minutes. And when you feel the urge, say, Stop! With the witness
looking on, the Mentalist rotates the stem of the wristwatch until he
hears Stop! Then he asks the witness to note and remember the
position of the hour hand only.
Again, concentrate on the minute in your mind. As before, when
the impulse strikes, stop me. He spins the watchs stem until
stopped and once again asks the witness, Note the minute hands
position and combine it with the previous hour you memorized.
Large sketch pads and markers are given to both participants as
they are told, Please record the time you have imaged in your
minds. Now show your thoughts to the audience. They match!
A center-tear delivers the time information into the Mentalists
hand, boldly finger-palmed and glimpsed with the witness looking
over his shoulder. Due to the angles involved, the witness sees
nothing. A timing force (much like a Classic Force in card work)
causes the watchs hands to stop at the appropriate hour & minute.
Be sure to reset the watch before returning it to its owner.
110
A resident of the
province of Quebec,
Canada, Patrik has
a charming manner
which really
connects with an
audience.
Jim Wuorio
Presentation 3
New Hampshires
Jim Wuorio has no
problem with the
occasional missed
thought. In fact, this
routine depends
upon it!
We have demonstrated, explains the Mentalist, how a person

experienced in nonverbal perception can intercept and duplicate a
mental image. Lets turn the tables and try something unusual.
Pointing to three persons in the audience, he
continues, Please stand and prepare to catch my
thoughts. Ill make it easier for you by restricting my
choices to a known range: one of the 52 playing cards.
Dont jump the gun and try to anticipate what I
might think. And please avoid just thinking of a
random card. That will inevitably lead to the Ace of
Spades or the Queen of Hearts, the most commonly
chosen from within the pack.
The Mentalist pulls three cards at random from
the deck and says, Instead, wait until I begin
projecting these. Erase all the scribbling from the
blackboards in your minds and prepare to see the
projected cards slowly appear against the dark
background.
Now we separate the men from the boys, says the
performer. Please say aloud the names of the cards
which swam into your mental vision.
The participants verbally name the 9H, 3H, and 7D.
Turning to the first person, the Mentalist removes one of
the three cards from his hand and says, With you, I had a
clean miss. Im sure we could do better with practice, but for
now please accept my thanks and take your seat.
You were very close, he informs the second participant, and
probably will be delighted with your result. You imagined the 3H
and I was projecting the 2H. No cigar for a near miss, but you have
earned congratulations for at least beating the percentages. The
performer removes the 2H from the fan and shows it.
Looking directly at the third participant, the Mentalist remarks,
Your mind and mine must be on the exact same frequency. Either
that or we were married in a previous life. Say again the card you
perceived in your mind... The participant confirms that he
thought of the 7D.
Smiling, the Mentalist says, Youve earned a tremendous round
of applause. Look! The final card is turned around. It is the 7D!
Jim did his research and developed this gutsy routine which
relies on probability and chutzpah. The three cards randomly
pulled from the deck are the 2H, 3C, & 7D. These are the three
cards most often chosen after the AS & QH are eliminated.
Because you never identify which card is intended for which
participant, you are free to make your associations and
comparisons after the fact, discarding the miss and the near-hit
as the patter explains.
111
Editors Desk
Notes from the Tour

Dave Arch has ended his 900 line experiment, dont know why.
Its been a little longer between issues than is usually the case,
primarily due to the lecture tour for SYZYGYs BEST! Twenty
lectures in five weeks is a demanding schedule and publication dates
slipped. All will be on track by the end of the year.
A few random memories from the lecture tour: Denny Haneys
boundless energy (I learned that he is a Macintosh person, too);
Tony Razzanos enthusiastic recounting of his sance
experiences; the post-lecture, late-night comraderie after
Nashua; Inn Event conversations with Irene Larsen (in all
these years, we had never met - shes a very witty lady!);
reminiscing with Bev Bergeron at Niagara Falls; the
cigar-smoking waitress in Buffalo who was ecstatic when, after
having read her palm, I gave her one of my La Glorias; walking the
Rock and Roll Museum in Cleveland with Joe Marino, our
conversation crackling with the exchange of concepts and ideas; the
drive from OKC to Tulsa, with Lee Woodside and Tony Devine,
which became a three hour mini convention in a town car, the
discussion ranging from practical to philosophical.
Another fact of lecture life recently reinforced: Check the details.
Then communicate the details, verify the details, review the details,
reconfirm the details, and be prepared to adjust your plans on a
moments notice anyway. Snags will still occur. Dont get angry,
just get smarter next time.
Private message to an unknown contributor: You placed
the Chinese Menu presentation in my briefcase but didnt put your
name on it. Let me know who you are so we can print it.
CHECK, continued
The performer adds, I think all of you can appreciate doing your
absolute best for no reward. If the check isnt here, losing the
money will be embarrassing, but for me, failing in public will be
even more humbling. So before opening the envelope, and while I
still have some shred of respectability, may I have my final
applause now? The audience responds.
May I assume, since youll give me that much applause as a
potential failure, you will be even more generous if I am a success?
As the Mentalist tears open the final envelope he says, I know
that one evening, Ill find nothing and realize that my check has
been sacrificed. He looks inside and appears defeated, then smiles.
But thank goodness, this evening is not the one. He withdraws
the check from the envelope and assumes the applause position.
A brown eyeshadow daub (on your thumb and middle finger)
darkens the edges of the target envelope when you take it from the
participant and toss it onto the table, making it easy to spot later.
112
Max Morgan
How to
Make and
Tell Fortunes

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
A few years ago England, like most of the world, was in the grip
of a hard recession. This recession hit different trades and
businesses in many varied ways; for me it meant adapting into
other lines, and quickly.
At this time I was making 100% of my living from performing
magic, mainly to children for birthday parties. I suppose that I had
always been lucky as far as work was concerned because I always
had enough coming in. In fact, for many years, I didnt advertise in
the traditional ways at all, but instead gave away lots of my
promotional material disguised as badges, novelty money, games
sheets, and in 101 other ways. I prided myself that I was the best
known childrens entertainer in the area at that time. For that
reason I charged the most for my services.
Over the span of a year I watched my business change from
excellent to almost impossible to stay afloat. Even the extra effort
that I put in didnt help. This was a time of shrinking budgets and
belt tightening for commercial markets as well as for local
authorities and the family at home. But worse than this, many
people were becoming unemployed, taking their severance pay and
looking at the childrens market as either a temporary or easy
alternative to welfare.
They would then use people such as myself as templates for
their own new enterprises. In a very short time there were twenty
new imitators charging well below half my fee and competing in a
market place that was diminishing day-by-day.
If I was to survive, something had
to be done immediately- At this time
a friend was facing the same
recession problems, but in contrast to
This material has
my now sadly failing business, his
been
excerpted from
was thriving. I watched his business
Maxs new book of
double in size about every six
the same title
months. The actual nature of his
business is irrelevant; what made it
work was the few simple rules that
he applied to it.
Imagine all of life as little hills. In my magic business, the first
little hill would be the birthday market, the second one would be
close up magic in restaurants, there would be one for the schools,
and another for the play groups and pre-school work, etc.
In fact there would be as many of these hills as there are
113
possibilities. The first few hills would have already been

conquered and have a king on the top defending the summit. Not
only do you have to compete with the many others who wish to get
to the top, but when you get there you must fight the king for his
position.
As you look at the less popular hills there will be fewer people
climbing them, making it easier to get to the top. In fact, many of
these hills may not even have a king on the top at all.
We can all make it a lot easier for ourselves by choosing a hill, or
area of business, that is not the most popular. A less developed
market may not sound as desirable but it has many advantages.
Because it is undeveloped, you can promote it in any way that you
wish, rather than having to conform to customs others have
developed. You will also have little or no competition to speak of,
especially in the early stages.
These little areas of business are usually less popular because
they have been ignored in the past. They represent a great
opportunity to anyone who wishes to put the energy and creativity
into developing them.
There can be other reasons why these areas of business are less
popular. It may be that they need initially a lot more effort and
time spent in the early stages when learning and setting the
business up. This required extra effort may discourage the
majority of people. Another reason is that, especially in
entertainment, most people would be easily persuaded (by
their peers and contemporaries at magic clubs etc.)
against any course of action that would make them stand
out as different from the crowd.
In short, it is better to be the king of a small hill,
rather than a harassed pawn on a crowded mountain.
When you think creatively, and develop markets of
your own, you are only limited by your own
imagination.
The fortune telling business
If you are already an entertainer or performer,
you will find that becoming a psychic, clairvoyant,
fortune teller, is the same as developing any other act.
You must dress, fit, and act the part. The main difference is
that if you are a singer, comedian, magician, etc., your audience
will know that you are only performing an act. A clairvoyant,, on
the other hand, is expected to have genuine psychic powers. For
this reason you must keep up your faqade most of the time,
especially when off stage.
When I started to learn fortune telling, I soon found that there
are many excellent books on the market that go into great detail as
far as reading techniques are concerned. As soon as I started
building my business, however, I realized that there were many
methods with which to build your reputation that had not been
thought about, or had apparently not been written down or passed
on anywhere.
114
As long as you are an adaptable open-minded individual who is

prepared to work hard, you will have lots of fun developing the
craft to suit yourself. Along the way you will have the opportunity
to make an amazing amount of money.
I enjoy most the freedom to work where I wish and wherever I
want to. As you progress in the craft you will also become a
highly intuitive at a subliminal level that will give you an
edge over others in every aspect of life.
Why fortune telling? Simple! Even skeptics have taken a
look at their horoscopes in a paper or magazine from
time to time, whether they admit it or not. Why?
Because it deals with them and their lives directly.
What could be more interesting to us as individuals
than that?
If you like lots of attention, you will certainly get it
when the word spreads that you have acquired a
wonderful new talent, and not just from aging spinsters
wondering if Mr. Right will find them in the near future.
Interest will come from all sections of the community,
young and old, rich and poor, male and female. They will
all tend to seek your services.
The real market is virtually untouched. In fact, when
your reputation gets around, you will find yourself
turning work away. You may assert that there are lots of
palmists and other types of readers already out there,
offering a glimpse of the future for a minimal fee. This point
bothered me when I first started, but it didnt take long to realize
that this small group of people and the inadequate readings that
they offer will make your professional services more valuable in
the eyes of the potential customer.
The majority of clients that will visit you generally have
readings at regular intervals all the way through their lives. They
tend to visit every reader in the area until they find one that tells
them what they want to hear. This is the real secret of this craft,
finding out what they want to hear, and then telling them. Send
them away happy, with the knowledge that their future has lots of
good times ahead.
Shut- eye readers (the term used by those of us from a magical
background to describe non-magical or true believers in psychic
matters) are usually a little strange or disturbed. Most feel that
they have been given a gift from God and it is their duty to help
other people with these powers.
Most shut-eyes I have met have problems keeping their own
lives in order. You will hear many stories about these people, some
of whom send their clients away in a more confused state than
when they first arrived. In many cases the shut-eye readers ignore
the original reason for a clients visit completely, although they
usually manage to install at least one new unnecessary fear or
anxiety in the clients mind.
115
As soon as the shut-eyes hear there is someone new in the area

offering readings, they will start visiting you to check out the
opposition by booking a reading. Surprising though it may sound,
they are usually very easy to read for. Dont give them another
thought; some will even refer sitters who they find to be more
difficult clients to you for readings.
After a little practice you should visit the local shut-eyes in
your own area. You will be amazed how poor most of them are
at their craft. The readings are usually very unentertaining,
hard to follow, erratic with no flow or pattern to them and,
worst of all, have no thought behind the advice that they offer.
Unlike most other areas of the magic world, fortune telling
requires only small props that can be carried in your pocket;
Tarot cards, pendulum, business cards, etc. You will not
require the use of a large car or van to transport props,
lights and sound systems. In fact, you have no need to make
any other outlay at all, although the printing of business
cards or flyers outlining your services and telephone
number would be very useful.
You only need to visit a pub or bar, restaurant, club,
etc., and mention to the bar maid that you noticed that she has
an interesting life-line to get started. She will need no
encouragement to unfold her hand for you. Usually within a minute
of this practice there will be another waiting for the same
treatment. A brief explanation that this is how you make your
living, coupled with the impressive brief reading you have just
given to the bar maid will be enough to get you paid work, in many
cases, with the consent of the management, there and then.
There is no easy way to become a top player in whatever field
you choose and this one is no exception. It is my hope that you will
take encouragement from this short article and begin your journey.
A good living can be earned from fortune telling. One of the best
things about it is that, as you progress, it will open other doors into
even more lucrative avenues.
The hardest part of this business is giving your first few
readings. However, as this new skill becomes more familiar, you
will soon be able to give enjoyable, flowing readings which leave
your client in a happy and positive state of mind, ready to spread
the word about your amazing talents.
If you wish to contact me via e-mail, my electronic address is:
100520,1006@compuserve.com.
Editors note: Max Morgans book, How to Make and Tell
Fortunes is available in the U.S. (for $40.00) from Mark Strivings,
3309 N. Grandview, Flagstaff, AZ 86004, (602) 774-0804. Make
checks payable to Mark Strivings.
Overseas purchasers should contact Max Morgan directly by
writing to: 21 Hawkhurst Road, Maypole, Birmingham B14 5HS,
telephone +0121430 2444
116
Volume 2, Number 7
Mark Strivings
Issue # 25
Unleaded Par-Optic

Copyright1995
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
The Russians conducted

research, informs the Mentalist,
on the reported ability of some
people to sense color, even see
with their fingertips.
As you know, he says, fanning a
pack of playing cards so that the wellshuffled faces show, these can be
visualized first for color, then for the
shape of the index or suit, and finally for
the value or pattern. This leads to an
interesting experiment.
The Mentalist walks up to one member of the
audience, spreads the cards face down, and asks,
Please grasp a group of three cards and place them in
your trouser pocket, sight unseen. He does so.
Keep your hand in your pocket and touch just the face of one of
those cards, instructs the performer, and feel for the color.
Concentrate on what your sixth sense tells you. Do you get any
impression? No? I get the distinct feeling that youre touching red.
Pull it out and show it to the audience. The card is a red card.
Continuing, the Mentalist says, Heres where we fine-tune your
touch. Repeat what you just did with the next card. Run your
fingers lightly over the face of the next card in your pocket. Do you
get a hot or cold feeling? Yes? Youre improving. Touch it once
more. Black. And a rounded shape, that means a club suit. Show
it please. The playing card is removed from his pocket and shown.
It is, indeed, of the club suit.
This is the final step, reminds the performer, so touch that last
pocketed card. Use your hidden senses to sense its surface. Can
you perceive anything? My impression
is that it is another red colored card, a
Mark says this
sharp pointed diamond suit, and I
presentation
is a
think there arent many spots on that
combinatin of
card. Perhaps three?
Annemanns
classic
The participant removes the final
and his own
card from his pocket and shows that it
Par-Optic
Plus.
is the 3 of Diamonds!
Stack top 26 cards of the deck in Si
Stebbins order. The bottom 26 cards
are thoroughly shuffled. When the deck is fanned, the forward-most
portion, seen by the audience, is legitimately mixed.
Spread only the top half and have someone take three cards in
series to place in any available pocket. Cut the deck at that point
and sight the new face card to determine which cards were taken.
Please turn to UNLEADED, page 120
117
Fred Rosenbaum
Chinese Menu
People who dine at Chinese restaurants, informs the Mentalist,
sometimes order a variety of selections, with everyone at the table
sharing a portion of each dish. Often they will take turns ordering,
one from column A, one from column B, and so forth.
Inserting a folded piece of paper into his breast pocket where it
remains visible, the performer continues, For our imaginary meal, I
have a gift certificate, valid for a four-course dinner for two couples.
A few of you will be partaking of our fanciful cuisine, he says,
picking up four menus and handing them to someone close by, so
please take one of these and pass the remainder along to someone
else. As you can see, each menu a selection of items, all at different
prices. Keep any one you wish, then please stand.
With the four participants are standing, the Mentalist instructs,
To avoid duplication, one of you will order the appetizer, another
will choose the side dish. Someone else selects the entree and one
lucky person gets to pick dessert. You neednt select the courses in
sequence. If a course hasnt been ordered, its yours to choose.
Draping a towel over his forearm, the performer takes pen and
pad in hand and asks of the first participant, Which course to you
wish to order? The dessert? Splendid. And what would you like for
that course? Almond cookies? Delicious. Whats the price of that
item? Two-eighty? Ill write that down.
The Mentalist notes the selection on his pad and repeats the
process for each course of the meal. With all four dishes and
their prices on the pad, he openly adds the figures and circles
the total on the pad. Would each of you confirm that, had
you chosen an alternate course, a totally different set of prices
would have been listed? The four participants agree.
The face value of the gift certificate, says the Mentalist,
displaying the writing on the paper, is an odd amount...
The certificates value matches the cost of the meal, exactly!
Presentation is everything with this piece, because the
working is automatic. Each menu has four sections, one for
every course. There are a number of items listed in each course,
but only one price for the course itself. It doesnt matter which
items the participants choose because it is the price of each
course which is important. As long as each course comes from a
different menu, the total will always be the same, $14.35.
If you figure out why this works, dont tell me. I prefer being
mystified.
Item
Appetizer
Side Dish
Entree
Dessert
Menu A
1.95
.95
6.70
2.00
Menu B
2.25
1.25
7.00
2.30
Menu C
2.75
1.75
7.50
2.80
118
Menu D
3.60
2.60
8.35
3.65
Fred acknowledges
Larry Beckers
Game Show as the
inspiration for this
presentation.
Chase Goforth
A Savory Tip
No one ever claimed

that a Mentalist
should have good
taste, but it helps in
this routine
Many Mentalists do some sort of routine which involves

secretly marking or identifying envelopes. Tests which
involve clairvoyance, psychometry, paycheck roulette,
design duplications, etc., all can be routined to use
envelopes in some fashion.
The original Pseudo-Psychometry method, writing a
number inside the envelope near the end (to be easily
noted when the end of the envelope is torn off to
access the contents), leaves incriminating evidence
which makes some performers uncomfortable.
Likewise, small nail nicks or secret markings
are all too easy to misinterpret in less-thanoptimal conditions.
And, of course, none of these methods is useful
when one is blindfolded.
Chase offers a delicious method which sidesteps the
above shortcomings.
The envelopes are tastefully prepared using flavored
Chapstick lip balm.
Use a toothpick to obtain a pinhead-sized chunk of the soft
Chapstick. Gently lift a corner of the sealed flap at the bottom of
the envelope and deposit the particle of Chapstick beneath the
flap. Each envelope is treated with a different flavor (use a new
toothpick each time). The envelopes are arranged in a known
order so they may be easily associated with audience participants.
They are distributed using Lee Earles No-Brainer technique.
Find someone wearing red to give the cherry flavored envelope; the
orange treated envelope goes to someone attired in rust or orange.
Follow with color associations for the remaining envelopes and
flavors: lemon (yellow), grape (purple), mint (green), root beer
(brown), and licorice (black).
When the envelopes are retrieved, it is unbelievably easy to get
one between your teeth for legitimate reasons, (i.e. uncapping a
pen, turning a page in your sketchbook, handing the object back to
its owner, etc.) to sample the flavor.
This is one method in which one should intentionally have too
many props to handle, thus justifying placing the envelope in ones
mouth for a moment.
It is even possible to scrape ones fingernail across the flap to
draw out a taste of the Chapstick. Its quite simple to employ a
gesture which will allow the flavor to be transferred to your mouth
for tasting.
119
Editors Desk
Last Minute Shopping

The latest back-channel talk reveals that Mark Edward has an
infomercial in work. The project is rather hush-hush right now but
more details will be made available when the release date nears.
Docc Hilford is no longer a resident of Arizona, having relocated
to the wetter climate of Florida. The fabled Six and One-Half,
Arizonas Mentalism round table, will not be the same without him.
So many creative and talented people are now marketing their
hard-won knowledge. Here are some Christmas list suggestions:
Kenton has finally published his work on the use of language in
Mentalism (and in conjuring, too), choosing the medium of audio
tape. Wonder Words is a $59.95, 4-tape package which also
includes a printed reference pamphlet. If you liked his Quarterly
Supplement, youll love this offering. Highly recommended. You can
order it direct by phoning (602) 957-6375, or writing to Kenton at
3104 E. Camelback Road, #312, Phoenix, AZ 85031.
Those who purchase Cold Reading the Future With Numerology,
Richard Websters newest publication (64 pages, 8 1/2 x 11", staple
bound), get an unexpected bonus. They also receive the full text of,
and permission to reprint under their own names, You and Your
Lucky Numbers originally one of Richards pitch books. Always on
the cutting edge, Webster really hits the mark with this one. No
library is complete without all of his books. They are available from
dealers across the country or direct from Brookfield Press, 22
Marriott Rd., Pakuranga, Auckland, New Zealand.
Another recently prolific writer, John Riggs, has released
Psychic Soirees. Subtitled, Small Psychic Shows and House
Parties, this 70-page spiral bound book details the Palmistry Party,
the Graphology Party, the Couples Night, and Special Ladies Night.
Contact John at (615) 521-6705, or write to John at: 4408 Kingston
Pike, #9, Knoxville, TN 37919. I dont have a price but suspect its in
the neighborhood of 40 bucks. Youll make that back in a hurry.
Larry Becker is now advertising a limited edition of Casino
Royale, the triple-threat, gambling-themed prediction he nailed em
with on the convention circuit a couple of years back. $200.00 gets
you the best mental magic trick on the market today. Contact Larry
at (602) 488-0980 or P.O. Box 6023, Carefree, AZ 85377.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Joyous Solstice to all.
UNLEADED, continued
The first and third cards of that group will be the same color and
it is likely that one of these will be the first card touched and
removed. Since you are only going for the color, its an easy call.
The second card is usually the center card of the original three
and will be of the opposite color. Go for its suit. Even if youre
wrong, you now know the final pocketed cards identity.
120
Volume 2, Number 8
Steve Shaw
Issue # 26
BillZBetter

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
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World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
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Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
The performer displays a glass

tumbler from which he removes a
crumpled handkerchief. He
bundles the hank into a small ball
and secures it with a loose knot,
then explains, There are two
reasons this handkerchief is
being thrown into the audience.
The first reason is because we
need to select someone at random.
The Mentalist turns his back to
the audience and gently lobs the bundle over his
shoulder into the assembled crowd.
The second reason the handkerchief was
thrown, he continues, is that its far too messy to
throw the glass! Who has the hank? A hand is raised among the
audience. Please, requests the performer, bring it to the stage
and bring your billfold and spectacles with you.
After the participant has been welcomed on stage, the Mentalist
instructs, Reach into your money supply, take out one bill, and
immediately crumple it until its the size of a gumball. Turn aside
as you do it, so that no one can know the denomination of the bill.
As that assignment is being carried out, the performer unties
the handkerchief, drapes it over his arm, and extends the glass
towards the participant. Just drop the rolled bill into the glass. I
need to get close to it, but dont want to directly touch it.
Covering the glass with the handkerchief, the Mentalist snaps
an elastic band snugly around the top of the glass to hold the hank
in place. He extends the glass to the participant and says, Here,
grasp the glass through the cloth and
hold it tightly.
This is Steves
A large drawing pad and broad-tip
improvement on a
marking pen are pulled from the
piece (Bill-z-Bub)
performers briefcase as he explains
which he originally
with a wink, I am not only unaware of
contributed to
the denomination of the $20.00 bill you
Magick.
are holding... (he pauses for the
delayed reaction) but also have no idea
of its unique serial number. Lets see what can be discerned.
The Mentalist writes a large $20 in the upper corner of the
tablet and then proceeds to write a series of eight digits as well.
Propping the tablet in full view, he takes the glass from the
participant, walks to the front of the stage, and displays the wadded
bill inside the glass to the audience.
Please turn to BILLZBETTER, page 124
121
Phil Goldstein
Mind Flight
The Mentalist explains that his work entails a fair amount of air
travel. One way in which he makes use of time spent in flight is to do
the crossword puzzle that is usually found in the in-flight magazine,
as a means of keeping his mind limber.
On my most recent flight, he comments, I opened
the magazine, only to find that
the crossword was already
filled in. However, in
flipping through the pages
I came across an interesting
ad that provided the mental stimulation I sought. In
fact, I brought a photocopy of it with me.
He displays a Xerox of a page torn from a magazine, bearing an
ad that announces a series of mileage awards tied to an airline
frequent flier program. The promotion states that, for any flight to
certain cities prior to April 1, the program member will receive a
bonus amount of mileage points.
The performer points out that the airline seems to have assigned
mileage points on an arbitrary basis. Those associated numbers and
cities suggested an enjoyable mental exercise; that of memorizing
which random number goes with which city.
Handing the photocopy to a member of the audience, the
Mentalist asks that person to test his memorizational skills, by
calling off the name of any city on the list. For each city named, he
promptly calls out the 4-digit mileage number attached to that
location. This is repeated several times, with equal success.
As you may have guessed, this is a pseudo-memory
demonstration. Although the numbers appear to be arbitrary, in fact
there is a hidden system and it is one most readers already know:
the standard Number-to-Consonant mnemonic key table, which
links a digit to each consonant sound.
1 = T or D; 2 = N; 3 = M; 4 = R; 5 = L; 6 = J or G; 7 = K or hard C;
8 = V or F; 9 = P or B; 0 = S, Z, or soft C. Any basic text on
mnemonics will have more details.
The 4-digit number following each city name is generated by the
first 4 consonant sounds in that name. Thus, for example, LONDON
translates to L = 5, N = 2, D = 1, N = 2, yielding 5212.
If a city begins with a consonant for zero, skip to the next
consonant. As an example, SAN FRANCISCO begins, not with the S
= 0, but skips over to N = 2, F = 8, R = 4, N = 2, to yield 2842.
If a city name does not contain four consonant sounds, the
remainder of the 4-digit number is made by simply adding ascending
digits. So, for example, ROME yields 4345.
Use the ad printed on the following page to make your own
photocopies for performance.
122
This piece is typical

of Phil Goldsteins
thinking simple,
direct, and topical.
The Executive Traveller

, January 1996
A Bright I.D.E.A.
for Frequent Flyers:
International
Destination
Executive
Awards
Fly to any of the listed international destinations between January 1 and April 30, 1996,
and add the extended mileage shown to your frequent flier plan. Some restrictions apply
and certain dates are blacked out. See your travel agent for details or call Executive Air.
1-800-AIR-EXEC
Proud sponsor of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team

123
Editors Desk
The New Year Begins

So many subscribers sent holiday greeting cards this season that
I simply cannot reply to all of them on an individual basis. Instead,
please accept this acknowledgement with my sincere best wishes for
continued health, happiness, and enormous success.
Marc Psiman informs me that he was recently the victim in a
motion picture, Mind Trap. Naturally, he was cast as a psychic
entertainer. The film will probably be released direct to video. Dont
know when.
Here are a couple of lines which play well:
A friend said he didnt believe in intuition. I asked him why. He
said, I dont know its just a hunch.
To skeptical-appearing audience member, Have you acquired
Psychic Belief Syndrome? Hell answer, No. To which you reply,
Really? The first symptom is denial...
Speaking of denial Steve Shaw almost joined Houdini at that
big Sance in the Sky. It turns out that, during the busiest part of
his holiday performing season, his appendix ruptured. Unaware of
the reason for his severe intestinal disorder, Steve continued
working for two days on pain pills and grit. Hes fine now, but his
physician says Steves lucky to be alive. Yet another narrow escape!
The best impression clipboard in the business is now even better.
I found a thicker (and lighter-colored) woodgrain veneer for my
Micro-Thin Clipboard. That means easier access to the hidden
impression with less wear & tear. Still $25.00 plus postage. The
clipboard will be among the methods detailed in Lee Earles Q & A
Teach-In, my new video being taped by Brad Burt this January.
BILLZBETTER, continued
The Mentalist adds, Please note that, just by looking, its
impossible to discern the nationality of the bill, much less its value
or serial number. Lets check my impressions.
He pulls the hank from the glass, turns to the participant
upstage, and dumps the rolled bill into his hands. Taking the
writing tablet in his hands, the performer asks, Please open the
bill and verify first the value, then read aloud the serial number.
Your 100% accuracy is due to a bold turnover move as the glass
is covered with the hank. Because the glass is straight-sided, no
one is aware that the kerchef is being sealed around the bottom of
the glass. The rolled bill tumbles out of the upside-down glass into
your hand, to be opened and glimpsed under cover of searching for
the marking pen in your briefcase. When you take the glass to
show its contents to the front row, the re-crumpled bill is easily
returned.
Having the onstage participant hold the empty and upside-down
glass seems gutsy, but its a marvelous method for easing any
suspicions.
124
Volume 2, Number 9
Bev Bergeron
Issue # 27
Mental Murmurs

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Every day our morning

newspapers advertise an incredible
variety of goods and services, states
the Mentalist. He thumbs through a
sizable stack of over fifty index cards,
showing a different newspaper
advertisement pasted to each one.
Since purchase decisions are as much emotional as
financial, the Mentalist continues, salesmen often slant a sales
pitch toward the sizzle instead of the steak. The good ones read
the prospects non-verbal language and alter their approaches
accordingly. The performer points to someone and asks, Would
you be our salesperson for a moment?
The Mentalist asks a second participant to stand, saying,
Please select one of these ads and concentrate on the products
details. Whether or not that product is one you would have
voluntarily chosen is not important, but how you feel about it is
critical. Your expression, even though may you attempt to control
it, will communicate volumes of information.
Pointing with his ballpoint pen to various features in the
advertisement, the performer says, Picture each of the products
features in your mind. Think of what color you might choose. Is it
firmly in your imagination? Good.
Handing a salesbook and pen to the salesman, the Mentalist
says, See if you can visualize the product in your prospects
imagination. Listen in your mind for the customers inner voice.
Record his mental purchase in your salesbook.
After the salesman has finished writing, the Mentalist asks the
customer to describe his item and the color he selected. The
salesman has written up the exact same item and color!
The card is classic-forced. The ad
on the card, to which you point, allows
For a delightful
for a choice of only two colors (you type
mental magic
them on the ad after its pasted on the
card). The pen, purchased from a The presentation theyll
talk about for a long
Sharper Image store, is actually a
time, try this one.
microchip voice recorder which plays
either of two whispered messages
which you pre-record. Each message
will describe the product in one of the two alternate colors, for
example, Hes thinking of a blue Cadillac Sedan Deville. Dont tell
how you knew. Just say you heard his mind whisper.
Your salesman hears the message when you place your hand on
his shoulder, near his ear, and ask him to listen for the prospects
inner voice. Trigger the pen and watch for a glimmer of recognition.
125
Ray Grismer
Gamblers Recall
Card playing gamblers know that it is essential to
keep track of the discards, begins the Mentalist, in order
to modify their wagering and playing strategy.
The performer withdraws a deck of cards from its case and
spreads it, face up, on the table in front of him to display the
random assortment of suits and values.
Its a simple task to keep track of four or five cards. But when
most of the cards are no longer in play, how does the gambler
remember which cards remain undealt? There are three ways
to accomplish that simple feat: Practice, practice, practice.
He sweeps up the ribbon spread deck, cuts it several times,
and then shuffles the deck twice. The Mentalist spreads the
face down cards before him, forming a broad, curved ribbon and
says, Ill show you how gamblers practice if you will take 5 or 6
cards and place them aside. Several participants around the table
pull cards from the spread and place them in a pile to one side.
The performer gathers the spread deck, cuts it several times,
turns the faces toward himself, and quickly thumbs through the
deck. They will run through the remaining cards and engage their
mental processes like this, says the Mentalist, much more quickly
than discards would be seen in an actual situation.
Having looked at all the remaining cards, the performer states,
Will someone hold the six cards I didnt see and check me? If my
memory is serving me today, the cards in your hand are the 4D, 8D,
AC, KH, 5S, and 10C. How did I do? All six cards were named!
Begin by stacking the deck in your favor. Pull from a shuffled
pack one card of each value; suits dont matter. Using the random
order of these cards, arrange the remaining cards into three sets in
the same order. Assemble the four sets and you have a deck which
has cards of the same value 13 cards apart throughout the pack.
When this stacked deck is spread, the arrangement will be
indetectible, and a series of straight cuts wont disturb the stack.
Here comes the tough part after the initial face-up spread,
break the deck at the center (cards of the same value will be on the
face of each half) and butt-shuffle (faro shuffle) the two packets
together. You can do a regular riffle shuffle, but it should be nearperfect. Repeat for one more shuffle. The cards will now be
arranged, with some minor variances, in sets of four cards of the
same value. This arrangement is ribbon spread, face down, for cards
to be removed from six parts of the spread.
When you thumb through the cards, even after a series of straight
cuts, the values remain arranged in groups. When you encounter a
group of only three, secretly downjog the odd-colored card; its the
color-mate to one of the withdrawn cards. Cut the pack, stripping
the down-jogged cards to the face of the pack. Name the missing
cards by calling out the value and opposite suit of each of the six.
126
While NOT a card

trick, this piece can
look like one if youre
not careful. Premise
is everything!
Lee Earle
Duplicitous Business
This piece was

devised to provide an
excuse for gathering
business cards to
build a mailing list.
Speaking to a service club group (such as Rotary, Lions,

Kiwanis, etc.), the Mentalist claims, Our seemingly random choices
may not be as unique as we think. Ill demonstrate if I may first get
a business card from each of you. He holds up one of his own and
explains, The cards should have blank backs, like this one. Please
hand them to me blank side up.
Gathering and mixing the business cards, the performer turns
the top card face-up and reads aloud the name on the card. That
person is asked to write, on the blank side of his business card, any
word which comes to mind. The card is placed, writing side down,
on the table.
This procedure is repeated with a second participant, who is
asked to make a sketch or drawing on his business card. That card
is placed directly beneath the first card, on the table.
Looking at the printed side of one card, the performer says,
Stereotypes are often based in fact. This gentlemans card
announces that he is a realtor. I've determined that means hes
likely write a word like downspout on his card. Lets see. His
card is turned over to show that very word.
Someone who is an attorney, continues the Mentalist, reading
the printed side of the second card, would probably draw a toy
train. The card is turned over to show a sketched locomotive!
Cut a blank-on-both-sides business card from white card stock,
but make it just a fraction of an inch longer than the standard 31/2"
length. This is the business card which you pull from your wallet
to illustrate what you need from the audience.
One final requirement is a small pellet of soft wax. As
you gather the cards, find two of them which are printed
on white stock and use the wax to covertly stick them
back to back, making an instant double-faced card.
Mix the cards to place your double-blank directly below
the improvised double-facer on top.
Memorize the name on the top card, the uppermost
face of the improvised double facer. Turn it over and read
aloud the name which is now face-up. Ask that person to come
forward to assist. You apparently turn his card blank side up, but
actually do a double-lift (made easy by the long, double-blank
second card).
Hold the packet with the fingertips of each hand at the ends of
the cards, with your double-blank facing the participant. Ask him
to print, in block letters, any word which comes to mind.
Turn the packet to the horizontal so his writing is facing down
and then perform a glide move (see worms eye view, left) in which
you appear to draw the bottom card off the packet but really remove
the double-facer, second card from the bottom. Place it on the table.
Please turn to DUPLICITOUS, page 128
127
Editors Desk
Welcome Competition!
Mark Strivings unveiled his new all-Mentalism lecture in
Scottsdale, AZ last week. This student of Ted Annemanns writings
has tweaked, transformed, and tested some of the best, developing a
workmanlike mix of material. I predict the lecture be well received.
At present, Mark is putting the finishing touches on Mobile
Mentalism, his anthology of material for walk-around performers.
He has contributions in hand from some very recognizable names
(Docc Hilford, Terry Nosek, E. Raymond Carlyle, et al). Add a
pair of videos, to be released through Flora & Co., and (pardon the
pun) hes making a Mark in Mentalism.
Belated thanks go to P.E.A. president Elliott Black for his superb
hospitality during my familys visit to Chicago last fall. We were
there to observe my sons graduation from U.S. Navy recruit training
and Elliott insisted that we share his nearby house. Measure my
wealth in friends and I could ransom a king!
If youre still interested in Larry Beckers Casino Royale effect,
the only place its available now is from Viking Mfg., 4619 South
Highway 281, Edinburg, TX 78539, (210) 380-3929. They make the
piece for Larry and still have a few left.
Phil Goldstein wants you to know that an alteration was made in
the mnemonic consonant substitution table for his piece in the last
issue. The lists were shortened and the title was changed, too. The
line directly below the masthead graphic explains it.
DUPLICITOUS, continued
All will assume that his writing is on the underside of that card.
Rotate the packet of cards so that the word just written faces
directly toward you. Thumb the card off into your right hand with
the blank side toward the audience. Pretend to read aloud the
name you memorized earlier as you glimpse the first participants
word.
Replace the card, blank side up, on the packet. Hold the packet
as before while the person named draws on his card.
When hes through, turn your head to one side as you thumb the
top card, still drawing side up, onto the table, sliding it beneath
and completely aligned with the other tabled card.
Gaze at the printing on the upper of the two cards, make an
appropriate remark, and reveal the word which was written. To
verify your success, pick up both cards at one end, fingers on top,
thumb beneath. Rotate your wrist and spread the cards. You
probably recognize the venerable two-card monte move (right).
Hold up the double-blank, word side toward the audience,
allowing the audience to see it. Thats when you view the drawing,
the one they think is on the underside of the tabled card. Slide the
double-blank beneath the double-facer on the table which puts the
cards in position to repeat the procedure, to reveal the drawing.
128
Volume 2, Number 10
Richard Webster
Issue # 28
Pin-Up Postcard

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
At least 90% of what we know,

asserts the performer, comes to us
through our eyes. And 100% of what we
think is reflected back through those same
eyes. Thats why Aristotle Onassis always
wore dark glasses when conducting
important negotiations and refused to do
business with people who did the same.
Picking up a selection of picture
postcards, the Mentalist continues, A
psychologist named Eckhard Hess devised
an interesting experiment. He showed test
subjects a series of postcards, all but one of
which bore photos of landmarks and monuments. The remaining
postcard was imprinted with a photograph of a scantily clad model.
The group of postcards is handed, picture side down, to a
participant who is asked to mix them so no one will know which
card is the revealing-but-tasteful pose. Hes told, I will show these
cards to you one at a time. Keep your expression as neutral as
possible, giving no outward clue as to which photo youre viewing.
The Mentalist holds the packet of postcards, picture sides
toward the participant. After a moment he announces, The first
picture sparks no response, and transfers one card from the face to
the back of the packet. He continuously repeats the same action,
each time saying, Youve still not there yet...another travel
photo...more scenery...Yes! Now youre looking at the beautiful
woman.
The face postcard of the packet is shown to the audience. It is,
indeed, the pin-up photo!
Any red-blooded male, when looking at the postcards one at a
time, cannot conceal when the sexy photo is before his eyes. In fact,
his eyes will give him away by dilating
(the pupils of his eyes grow larger)
Richard has written
when he sees the provocative pin-up.
several
books for the
As insurance, for when your
general public, too.
participant is not interested in zaftig
His
latest is work is
beauty, the pin-up postcard is also
Oghams, Omens,
punched to provide a tactile clue. A
and Oracles.
thumbnail, firmly pressed against the
back of the postcard, will raise a small
bump on the face of the postcard.
Mark two diagonally opposite corners. Not one to take chances,
Richard throws caution to the wind and runs a straight pin through
the cards corners, creating a punch which cant be missed!
When working small audiences, service club breakfasts for
example, Webster repeats the experiment with the audience
determining when the participant is viewing the babe. It works!
129
Dave Arch
Double Divination
Students of astrology, begins the Mentalist, have long held that
ones date of birth can be an indicator of personality and capabilities.
We are all familiar with the simplest of these categories, the Sun
Sign. Newspaper astrology columns use these groupings when
offering their daily advice.
The performer tears the top sheet from a pad and hands it to his
participant, saying, If youre not already aware of your sun sign, you
can find it by referring to the table in the black section at the bottom.
Once youve found your sign Libra, Capricorn, or Virgo for example
write it down in the center of the circle.
Think of your sign. Can you spell it in your mind? I get the
impression of an R. Is that letter in your sign? Yes? How about an
I? No? Perhaps a letter shaped almost the same. Could it be a T?
Yes? You must have been born a Taurus! The participant agrees.
Readers familiar with Ray Grismers Whats Your Sign? will
immediately recognize the strategy upon which this presentation is
based. With Rays blessing, Dave Archs combination of two different
letter sequences (useful for an instant repeat when performing for
couples, for example) with the hidden-in-plain-view method for
concealing the cribs makes this approach unique.
This form, and a center tear, is great for getting pre-show
information. Your participant writes his sign and a random word,
then quarter-folds the paper. You divulge his sign, then center tear
the paper, telling him youll save the other word for your stage show.
The six lists across the top supply the letters called; use the first
letter in each word. Work them across, in this order: Relational,
Intuitive, Actualizing; Stabilizing, Unified, and Gregarious.
A yes response moves you to the next list while a no directs you
to get your subsequent letters from within that list. Then use the
first letter of the descriptor following each sign, a yes moving you to
the line below and a no stopping you on the correct sign. If you
reach the end of any list, youve found the sign, regardless.
For example, Virgo would get yesses for R and I, but a negative
response for A. Your next letter called is the letter S (from
Sensitive). The participant says, No and youve found his sign.
The second crib is found in the words below each graphic element.
The four longest words (taken clockwise: Inspirational, Responsible,
Sentimental, and Conscientious) supply the sequence as long as the
response is yes. When a letter gets a negative response (or youre in
the final, Conscientious section) begin advancing clockwise one
illustration at a time to get each subsequent key letter.
Heres the big difference A second no directs you to the prior
illustration (counterclockwise) for the correct sign. As before, when
you reach the final illustration in a list without a second no, (you
can tell because the next graphic has one of the long words beneath
it) that final illustration is the correct one.
130
Your printer can

photograph this
artwork to reproduce
4-up on a single
page, to be printed
and bound into
pocket-size pads.
Your Sun Sign Attributes

RELATIONAL
Leo - Introspective
Gemini - Practical
Pisces - Affectionate
INTUITIVE
Cancer - Tenacious
Taurus - Compassionate
UNIFIED
Aries - Harmonious
STABILIZING
Capricorn - Logical
Libra - Caring
TRUSTY
ACTUALIZING
Virgo - Sensitive
Scorpio - Aggressive
GREGARIOUS
Aquarius - Timid
Sagittarius - Friendly
INSPIRATIONAL
UNIQUE
ABLE
ACTIVE
CALM
RESPONSIBLE
CONSCIENTIOUS
STOIC
CIVIL
AWARE
SENTIMENTAL
Editors Desk
The New Year Bodes Well

New England readers can attend the SYZYGYs BEST! lecture on
Saturday, February 23rd, 10:00 a.m., at the Magic Art Studio in
Watertown, MA. Call John Henry Flood for info: 617 848-7690.
The trilogy is complete! Herb Dewey, co-author of Red Hot Cold
Reading and (it can finally be acknowledged) King of the Cold
Readers has compiled a third, very impressive volume entitled,
Psycho-Babble. Herb, with the editing assistance of Roy Miller,
has produced the first must have book of the new year. Within its
104 perfect-bound, 81/2 x 11 inch pages, one will find an assortment
of tips, tables, techniques, and teachings for cold readers at every
level of the art. Psycho-Babble is available direct from Herb Dewey,
304 Unity Lane, Annapolis, MD, 21402. It is a good value at $48.00
postpaid to U.S addresses and US$50.00 elsewhere.
Canadas Paul Alberstat phoned to advise of an interesting
opportunity. His associates are planning an all-Mentalism production
which will require up to four additional performers. Theyll need to
see your stuff on video,VHS (NTSC - U.S. & Canada standard) only,
please. Call for details first, at (403) 720-0687, or post e-mail to
dreid@nucleus.com.
Scott Shoemaker has original issues of Bascom Jones
MAGICK available, either singly or in bunches. If youre looking to
fill in the voids in your collection, telephone Scott at (412) 789-9252.
Stunners - The Mental Magic of Larry Becker was an instant
sellout as a $225.00 hardcover back in 1992; the same result is
inevitable now that the book is available in a soft cover edition at
$89.50. Check your local dealer or contact Larry Becker at P.O. Box
6023, Carefree, AZ 85377, or call (602) 488-0980.
Public Broadcasting Systems Nova television program recently
featured a mellow, less strident James Randi debunking spoonbender Uri Geller (again!), Phillipino psychic surgeons (again!),
religious revivalist Peter Popov (again!), and assorted Russian
psychics and faith healers. Ray Hyman put in an impressive palm
reading guest appearance. It was an intelligent and well-produced
documentary pieced together from a number of previously broadcast
segments. But it wont make any difference.
Bob Cassidy reprised his lecture (from the Psychic Entertainers
Association convention in Seattle) at the Magic Castle recently, and to
great reviews. His cabaret act is booked to play a week there this
February. Catch it if you can; Cassidys one of the best.
Steve Im tired of them forgetting my last name Shaw has made
a change which should help cement a more memorable image in
peoples minds; hes now booking himself under the pseudonym of
Steve Banachek and will eventually use the surname only.
Ray Grismers January visit to Phoenix included an unplanned
gall bladder surgery. Hes on the mend now, back at Box 1, Silverton,
ID, 83867. I warned you about those home-fries, Ray!!!
132
Robert Waller
Whats Her
Makeup?

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
According to Mary Kay Cosmetics, the shape of a womans

lipstick is directly related to her personality.
While a seemingly infinite assortment of outlook-affirming lip
shades crowd the cosmetic counters, only eight basic shapes
emerge after a lipstick is put to use.
Barbara Templeton, senior sales director for Mary Kay in South
Carolina, developed this information years ago for a psychology
class assignment. At that time, she surveyed more than 100
women concerning their lipsticks and personalities. The
correlations were later fine-tuned using a more extensive
questionnaire.
Templeton claims her findings, while unscientific, have been
verified repeatedly over the years by women across the globe.
A. The Original: Follows the rules; shuns attention; mildly
reserved; prefers a schedule; self-conscious.
B. The Peak: Curious; seeks
attention; mysterious; big ego;
Robert found this
faithful; tooks for east route; loves life.
information in a
C. Ths Silo: Even-tempered;
column on the front
peacemaker; steady; likable; generous.
page of the womens
D. The Flat Top: Direct; high
section of the
morals; seeks approval; careful about
Arizona
Republic
appearance; dependable; conservative;
newspaper.
quick mind; loves challenges.
E. The Spire: Loveable; family
oriented; motivated; takes charge;
domestic; exaggerates occasionally; stubborn over little things;
gregarious.
F. The Ski Jump: Creative; enthusiastic; energetic; thrives on
attention; helpful; talkative; needs a schedule but dislikes it.
G. The Slope: Opinionated; high-spirited; dislikes schedules;
selective of friends; outgoing; likes attention; argumentative.
H. The Dip: A great detective; makes friends easily; inquisitive;
adventurous; complex; exciting.
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133
Mona Santow
KOLD Radio Readings

Editors Note: This is a delightful utilization of resources which
would probably never occur to most of us. While not a full-time
performer, Mona tapped her background in advertising and mass
media in a way which should be the envy of professional Mentalists
and will delight a cold-readers heart.
During her first few days in a new employment situation, Mona
sought a way to build a rapport with her associates in an office
environment which seemed built to prevent it. Each staffer had his
or her own private cubicle, computer, telephone, etc., separate and
apart from every other employee, effectively isolating each staffer
from the others.
I consider myself a good judge of people and their choices, she
said one day to a co-worker, and its clear that you are someone
who is very much in tune with environmental issues. In fact, you
probably drive a safe, imported car and prefer wine with your
meals. I wouldnt be surprised if you were a vegetarian.
It took her fellow employee some time to recover from the shock
of this highly accurate mini-reading.
With one associate after another, Mona managed to get hit
after hit with tailored cold reading lines so precisely targeted that
other employees were awestruck.
The source of her information is surprisingly mundane.
As she moved throughout the office complex, she heard the quiet
murmur of broadcast radio music. In fact, most of the office
employees had radios playing softly in their subdivided office
spaces, some tuned to easy listening stations, others to progressive
jazz, soft rock, or all-news & talk.
It was this information which she finessed into those
killer cold readings.
53 60 80 100 130 160
Market research is conducted to determine what type of
person listens to each radio format. These surveys are quite
specific, detailing household income range, disposable
88 92 96 100 104 108
income, political attitudes & voting preferences, age, and
many, many other factors for every radio station and
broadcast format in any advertising market.
Mona is quite knowledgeable about these radio station
demographics and used them to spectacular advantage. For
the rest of us, there is a publication produced by the
Standard Rate and Data Service (in the reference section of
most public libraries) which lists all the radio stations in a
particular geographical area and the demographic categories
to which their broadcasts appeal.
Once Mona heard a stations call letters (and, sometimes,
just the broadcast itself), she could make some amazing
generalizations regarding her associates.
134
Continued from other side of flap
Pride: Personal standard of conduct

and achievement.
Procrastination: Habit of putting off
something until a future time.
Resentment: Indignant displeasure
from a sense of being injured or
offended.
Responsibility, desire for: Wish for
greater opportunity or trust.
Sarcasm: Use of cutting and caustic
remarks.
Secretiveness: Tendency to conceal
facts from others; keeping of
confidences.
Self-consciousness: Unduly aware of
self.
Self-deception: Tendency to form
opinions from insufficient evidence.
Sense of Humor: Ability to discover
the incongruous in ideas, situations,
and events.
Sensitiveness: Readiness to feel a
hurt or slight.
Vanity: Overestimation of self.
For Information, Contact:
...character assessment
as revealed by
your handwriting
This brief analysis (or candid shot
analysis) of your handwriting gives you
the most obvious traits as revealed
through Graphoanalysis, the scientific
system of handwriting analysis.
A detailed Graphoanalysis or telephone
consultation may be obtained from the
Certified Master Graphoanalyst whos
name appears on this form.
Comments
This brochure is
used by legitimate
handwriting
analysts as a tic
sheet. The other side
is on the following
page. Learn from it.
Psychologists consider handwriting a

movement that reveals your innermost
characteristics an expressive movement.
No matter how hard you try, it is virtually
impossible to conceal or disguise your
personality traits by intentionally altering
your handwriting.
Graphoanalysis is a valuable aid in any
area where a keen knowledge of human
behavior is important. It is widely used in
the home, education, guidance counseling,
personnel and employment work, business
management, police work, and suspect
document cases.
It goes without saying that nearly
everyone can be happier and more effective
in his relations with others if he has a
better understanding of human nature.
Graphoanalysis can bring you this better
understanding of people.
Prepared for
Name
Date
Prepared by
CERTIFIED MASTER GRAPHOANALYST
How You React to Emotional

Experiences or Situations
You are usually very reserved and

unresponsive. This may be a result of
self-interest.
You appear calm and collected; under
most circumstances you tend to act
objectively.
You will react with consideration and
empathy, modified with common sense.
You are warm and responsive but
seldom to extremes.
You are very responsive and inclined to
react immediately.
Others may find it difficult to know
how you will react, for you may react in
several of the above ways depending
upon the circumstances.
How Emotional
Experiences Affect You
Experiences are felt at the time, but

they do not leave a lasting impression.
Emotional experiences remain for a
period of time but are moderate and in
time will fade.
Emotional experiences are felt deeply
and leave lasting impressions.
Your Thinking Processes
Analytical: You are capable of sorting

ideas and facts to determine their
value.
Exploratory: Available information
does not satisfy you. You feel you must
investigate for yourself.
Comprehensive: You are quick to
understand and often do not require
detailed explanations.
Cumulative: By slowly accumulating
information, you are capable of
reaching more accurate conclusions.
Your Goals
You like to plan for the future. Your

goals may or may not become realities
depending upon other influencing
traits.
Your goals are more practical and
within your reach since you like to
have assurances of success.
You underestimate your capabilities,
satisfying yourself with less than your
best.
How You Achieve

Your Goals
Will Power:
Ability to direct yourself

toward a goal.
Weak to moderate
Moderate
Moderate to strong
Determination: Ability to finish assigned
task.
Weak to moderate
Moderate
Moderate to strong
Your Imagination
You have the ability to create mental
images that are apart from the material or
practical, including the understanding of
ideas, theories, philosophies.
Restricted Moderate Active
You have the ability to picture something
existing but not actually present.
Restricted Moderate Active
Other Important
Characteristics
The personality characteristics listed below are neither
good nor bad in themselves. Each characteristic
becomes meaningful only when carefully evaluated with
all others present in a personality.
General Aptitudes
Cultural Trends
Artistic
Creative
Literary
Manual Dexterity
Showmanship
Acquisitiveness: Wish to acquire.

Aggressiveness: Ability to invade
new fields of activity.
Broad Mindedness: Willingness to
tolerate the ideas of others.
Details, attention to: Care in regard
to details.
Dignity: Quality of being worthy of
esteem.
Diplomacy: Tactfulness in dealing
with people.
Domineering: Tendency to be
overbearing and authoritarian.
Enthusiasm: Ardent inner force that
creates interest and action.
Fluidity: Ability to think smoothly.
Frankness: Honesty or candidness in
speech.
Generosity: Willing to give or share.
Independent Thinking: Setting
one's standard of behavior regardless
of custom.
Initiative: Aptitude for instigating
ideas and actions.
Irritability: Easily annoyed.
Jealousy: Fear of rivalry.
Loyalty: Steadfastness to what one
thinks is right.
Narrow Mindedness: Inability to
appreciate or accept another's point of
view.
Organizational Ability: Aptitude for
putting ideas or things in order.
Persistence: Aptitude to continue
steadfastly.
Continued on other side of flap
Volume 2, Number 11
Issue # 29
Th-Th-Th-Thats All Folks!

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
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At one of those shopping mall movie

studio theme stores, explains
the Mentalist, I found this...
A small bag, marked with the
Warner Brothers studio logo, is
deposited on the table and a
pack of Looney Tunes playing
cards is removed from it.
The performer continues, All
my life I have enjoyed the colorful
antics of these cartoon characters.
He withdraws several cards from
the pack and places them, face up, in
a pile on the table.
Heres Wiley Coyote, Acme
companys best customer, the Mentalist goes on, the carrot
crunching Bugs Bunny... He removes and descibes several more
individual cards from the pack disclosing, These are my Top Ten
personal favorites.
Among these zany toons is the one with which I identify most,
confesses the Mentalist, and its very hard for me to conceal that
crazy affection. Youve seen all of them, so give me a number from
one to ten and lets see if youve discovered my little secret.
A participant says, for example, Five. The performer replies,
Please take the packet and count down to the fifth card. That
card turns out to be the Sylvester the Cat character.
I reminded you that one of these is my favorite. And when I
was in the store, I purchased something else with that same face on
it. The Mentalist pulls up his sleeve to show his wristwatch.
Filling the face is a very colorful portrait of Sylvester.
Actually, eleven cards are removed from the deck to be used in
the packet, but no one counts. As the face up pile of cards on the
table builds, just make sure the
Tweety card is the seventh card dealt
Christopher uses
and the Sylvester card is the ninth.
this presentation
That puts Sylvester and Tweety,
when his close-up
respectively, third and fifth from the
work brings him to a
face of the packet. Pick up the packet
table with children.
and hold the cards edgewise so that
But its the adults
the face of the packet is vertical.
who
really respond.
Ask your participant for a number
between one and ten. If the number is
greater than six, place the cards in his hand face down; otherwise
hand them to him face up. For any odd number, have your helper
count to the card at that number. If an even number is used, your
participant transfers, one at a time, that many cards from the top of
the packet to the bottom. Youll use the next card.
Please turn to TOONS, page 140
137
Mark Edward
The Two Martini Hunch

The rubber-gloved Mentalist slowly and methodically pours a
careful measure of concentrated battery acid into one of three
identical cocktail glasses sitting on a round serving tray, and
confesses, Its amazing the extremes a genuine sensitive will go to,
in order to prove a point!
He carefully wipes the last droplet of acid from the lip of the
reagent bottle with a small gauze pad and gently replace the bottle
in its padded shipping container.
Continuing, the performer explains, Its equally amazing how
much effort the same person will expend for a tax-exempt martini!
With that comment, he withdraws a bottle of Stolichnaya vodka
from a brown paper bag and fills the remaining two glasses to a
level equal with the first.
Two comparitively benign control elements to accompany one
rather caustic alternative, remarks the performer, and all because
Im bored with bending spoons. Besides, the element of risk
heightens the inner senses to a level which makes a demonstration
like this possible.
A member of the audience is asked to come forward for a
moment and is handed a laboratory apron to put on, followed by a
pair of thick, black rubber gloves, and a clear face shield. The
Mentalist advises, While there is little chance that you would come
into contact with the acid, my attorney insists on these little
precautions. And I know youll be more comfortable as well.
Pointing to the tray on the table, the performer asks, Once
youve donned the hazardous materials gear, carefully move all
three glasses to different positions on the tray and bring the tray to
me. Be mindful of how you handle the glasses; you cant tell them
apart. The rearrangement of the glasses on the tray ensures that I,
as well, will have no clue as to which glass contains the fleshconsuming acid, because I wont look as you re-arrange them.
Answer me truthfully, asks the Mentalist, have you any idea
which two drinks are safe to consume? No? Very well, Ill take the
tray and you may remove the protective gear to the sound of
applause from the audience. We thank you for your assistance.
With his free hand, the performer removes a wooden clothespin
from his breast pocket and clamps it over his nose. I think youll
agree with me, he says to the now-seated helper, that the aroma
of the acid can be overwhelming. The participant nods in
agreement.
Now that a sniff is impossible, only intuition guides my hand,
remarks the dare-devil performer. He reaches for one glass, then
another, finally muttering to himself, ...always go with the first
choice... He picks up one glass, raises it in a toast, and downs its
contents in a single gulp.
Please turn to MARTINI, page 140
138
It isnt so much the

novelty of the
premise which makes
this piece appealing
(its an old idea) as it
is the attitude of the
presentation.
Robert Waller
Wanderlust
Robert is a member
of Arizonas
Mentalism thinktank, the exclusive
and fabled
Six and One-Half.
Wanderlust, the Mentalist begins, is a uniquely human trait.

It is the desire to travel to ones ancestral homeland, an exotic
tropic isle, or just to gain a new perspective it is a universal and
undeniable drive.
While thumbing through a selection of thirty picture postcards,
the performer continues, Many people collect postcards as
souvenirs of their wanderings. My wife asks me to bring more home
every time I travel. I suspect shes not really collecting the
postcards; she just wants proof that I went where I claimed I did.
Addressing a willing audience participant, the Mentalist asks
her name and continues, Maria, tonight you will help us plan an
imaginary trip. Well select our final destination using these
postcards. Would you mix them to change their order, please?
After the participant shuffles the postcards, the performer takes
them in hand, gives them an additional shuffle, and says, You will
decide where our wanderings will take us, depending on how you
answer a few questions. For a twist, you may choose to answer each
question truthfully or your answer can be, as they say when
referring to certain political figures, at variance with the truth.
Before we begin this trip, please say what your preferred mode
of transportation will be. Ocean liner? My, how extravagant!
Please take the stack of postcards and deal one of them onto my
hand for each letter. O-C-E-A-N-L-I-N-E-R. She deals 10 cards.
The performer continues, Since youve chosen to travel by sea,
would you rather visit Japan or Brazil? Spell out that choice, too.
She spells B-R-A-Z-I-L, dealing one postcard for each letter.
Once again, the performer offers a question, For a second stop,
lets visit a third world country; will it be Iraq or Yemen? That
choice (e.g: I-R-A-Q) is spelled, letter by letter and card by card.
Lets see, remarks the Mentalist, where our travels have
taken us. What is the next postcard? Paris, France. Marvelous. I
visited Paris recently and, after a strange dream, even mailed a
postcard home. That one. Would you turn it over and read it aloud
please?
She reads, Paris is an expensive city but its quite beautiful.
The baked goods are even more delicious than I imagined. I predict
that you will soon be able to visit the Eiffel tower in person, Maria.
The Paris postcard is shorter and narrower than the 29 others.
When you take back the pack to shuffle, cut the Paris card to the
top of the picture-side-down pack. Shuffle 9 other postcards onto it.
When the pack is pictures-side-up, Paris will be the 21st card. Prior
to the performance, quietly learn the name of one woman near the
front row and write her name in the message on the Paris card.
The chart on page 140 provides your spelling selections. Paste a
copy of it to the back of one of those all-black joke postcards such as
Berlin at night. Remove that card from the stack before the
shuffles, remark on it, and put it where you can glimpse the cues.
139
Editors Desk
Not Much Room For News...

Sad late news: Punx (Ludwig Hanemann) died February 11th,
of complications following a stroke. He was 88.
SYZYGYs BEST! lecture dates: Pittsburgh, on March 7* (Mark
Zajicek, 412 793-8070); Detroit, March 9* (Al Ulman, 313 874-2591);
and Columbus on March 11 (David Blevins, 614 224-2929). The *
denotes openings available at intensive workshops scheduled for the
following night, reservations required.
Mark Edwards Psychic Revival Network informercial (with
celebrities Nell Carter & Eric Estrada) is being aired nationwide.
TOONS, continued
Should your helper combatively choose 1 or 10, you can always
spell, O-N-E or T-E-N with the deck face up to get to the 3rd card.
In the bag is a stuffed Tweety plush toy, which is your out for
any number over 6. Should your residual magicians guilt betray
you after the Sylvester watch face disclosure and someone asks,
Whats in the bag? you reply, Sylvesters lunch! Show the
stuffed Tweety.
For another great gag, cover the face of one card with a white
self-adhesive label. Deal this one on the pile and say, Thats the
voice of all the characters Mel Blanc!
MARTINI, continued
His eyes go wide, a painful grimace covers his face, and he
shakes his head like a dog emerging from the rain. Then he says,
Thats good booze but it needs an olive! Whereupon he produces
from his pocket a small jar of cocktail olives, opens it, and eats one.
Now for the final choice, the Mentalist remarks. Its easier
with that liquid courage beginning to have its effect. Taking
another olive out of the jar, he holds it over one of the glasses, and
says, This one is next. In quick steps, he drops the olive into the
liquid, brings the glass to his lips, and downs the drink.
Removing one last olive from the jar, he holds it over the final
glass asking, Cocktail, anyone? The olive is dropped into the acid
and immediately begins a bubbling and sizzling decomposition.
Both the vodka and acid bottles are filled with water (or the
clear beverage of your choice). The third olive is plastic, obtained
from a joke store. It is hollowed out and filled with a crushed AlkaSeltzer tablet. Thats what supplies the reaction in the final glass
of acid.
The small gauze patch which is used to wipe the lip of the acid
bottle is liberally doused beforehand with a few drops of
concentrated Acetic acid (extra-strong vinegar, essentially). It is
left on the center of the tray and supplies the unmistakable acid
fumes which the helper is bound to notice. His non-verbal reactions
alone are worth the effort of this small step.
140
Volume 2, Number 12
Alain Nu
Issue # 30
Witch-Fork

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
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For years, begins the Mentalist, dowsers

have claimed the ability to locate underground
water using a forked twig from a sapling. They
say the moisture in the green wood seeks any
subterranean aquifers.
Many of these water- witchers also claim to
be able to find buried precious metals or
gemstones as well. Claiming that like finds like,
they often sensitize their dowsing instrument by
rubbing it with a sample of the substance for
which they are probing. Others will draw or
carve ancient and mystic symbols, representing
the elements they seek, on their divining tools.
Taking an eating utensil from the table, the
Mentalist continues, Lets test that theory.
Lacking a forked twig, perhaps this dinner fork
will serve. Which ancient symbol would you like
to use: earth, air, fire, or water? Ill draw it on
the handle of the fork to set the target.
The performer reaches into his pocket,
withdraws some coins, and says, Here is a
handful of quarters would you please duplicate
the mark I made onto one of the coins?
The participant copies the forks mark onto a
single coin after which the performer scoops up
all of the coins and drops them into a straight
sided coffee mug.
Next, he places the fork in the cup, business
end down, and stirs the coins just a bit.
When a participant removes the utensil from
the cup, the marked coin is now seen to be
impaled between the tines of the fork!
Alains M.O. is quite simple. While the
participant is looking at the handle end of the
fork to duplicate the symbol youve drawn there, you are busy
bending the two inside tines of the fork
to slide over the coin. Since his
Carry a fine-tip
attention is on drawing the symbol, the marking pen and a
misdirection is perfect.
few coins and youre
When you drop the coins into the
ready to perform
coffee mug, the last coin (which
this delightful
happens to be the marked one) is
impromptu
actually dropped so it rests against the
routine.
straight side of the mug with its edge
on the mugs bottom. Thus, its quite
easy to stab the on-edge coin with the split tines of the fork. Be
sure to really jam the coin tightly into the fork.
Everything else is presentation.
141
Jack Dean
Affinity
People in personal relationships, begins the Mentalist,
often develop a peculiar sense about their significant others.
Would any two people in the audience who are a couple please
raise your hands? One pair of volunteers joins the performer
on stage.
The performer takes a snapshot of the couple, using a
Polaroid camera. While the photo is developing, a package of
opaque envelopes is opened and emptied onto the table.
The performer shows four photos taken previously, each of
an attractive couple smiling for the camera. Please take each
of the snapshots, illustrates the Mentalist with one photo, and
seal it in an envelope, like this. When youre through, all five
photos will be hidden within randomly selected envelopes.
Please gather the envelopes and mix them a bit, instructs
the performer, so no clue remains as to which is which. He
takes the shuffled stack of envelopes and deals them on the
table in a row.
Speaking to one of the pair, the Mentalist directs, Hold
your partners hand and move your free hand over the row of
sealed photos until you feel your hand compelled to drop on one of
them.
When the participant does so, the performer explains, Stories
abound about lovers, siblings, or friends who have a mysterious
connection. I know of no other explanation. He opens the envelope
and shows the photo. It is the snapshot of the very same couple!
The working is simple and direct. After youve obtained a
Polaroid camera, take 4 photos of couples. Buy a small package
of stainless steel double edged razor blades, a Radio Shack Catalog
Number 64-1895 rare earth magnet (3/16" diameter, 1/16" thick),
and some 1" x 3" adhesive labels. Test that the magnet will attract
the blades. Carefully break two blades in half, lengthwise, to get 4
thin, magnetic shims.
Conceal each shim behind an adhesive label. Attach the
shimmed labels to the center back of the photos, aligned vertically.
Stack the photos face up and attach the magnet to the back of the
bottom photo. Its this one with which you demonstrate how to
insert & seal. As you place the photo in the envelope, slide the
magnet off the shim and allow it to drop into the corner of the
envelope.
When you are given the stack of envelopes, find the magnet by
feel and move that one to the bottom of the stack. Turn the stack so
the magnet is in the outer, right corner. As you deal the envelopes
onto the table, draw the center of each one over the magnet. The
only envelope which doesnt attract the magnet is your target.
Place it second from your helpers left in the row of five. Just before
he begins to move his hand over the row, adjust the position of the
envelope second from the right. He will almost always drop his
hand on the target envelope. If not, equivoque (verbal control) will
help you guide him to success. See Payday in issue #24 for an
example of this strategy.
142
Jack knows that its

always a good idea to
let the participant
feel responsible for
his success onstage.
Lee Earle
Korano Blanco
Think Word Test

instead of the term
Book Test. That
puts the inferred
focus on the target,
not the device.
Asked to picture a playing card, begins the Mentalist, it is

probable that you would think of either the Ace of Spades or the
Queen of Hearts. Those are the two most commonly chosen.
Should you be requested to think of a piece of furniture, more
often than not a chair would be your first mental image.
Likewise, when queried for a vegetable most people answer,
Carrot and for a flower, Rose is the usual reply.
Picking up a dust-jacketed hard cover novel, the performer
continues, Its not beyond the realm of possibility that if one were
asked for a single word, there may be a reply which seems random
but in fact is quite predictable. Thats the reason for using a book.
The Mentalist hands the volume to a nearby member of the
audience and asks, Do you read well in English? Fine. Open the
book to any page and satisfy first yourself and then the septics pardon me, skeptics - that all the words on the page are different.
With the possible exception of those words with fewer than four
letters, of course.
Paging through the book, the participant agrees that the text is
not prepared, as is truly the case.
By the way, continues the performer, about how many words
are on a page? Two hundred, you say? And how many pages
in the book? Three hundred and sixty? So how many words
is that, all together? About seventy thousand or so, yes?
Going on, the Mentalist suggests, Then certainly you can
page through and find a random word. Hopefully one which
will present a challenge. Have you found one yet? Good!
He pulls the top sheet of a Post-It note pad and attaches it to
the cover of the dust jacket and says, Just in case, please print
the word in block letters. That way, youll be able to put the book
down and just concentrate on the word. Given a ball-point pen,
the participant writes his word on the yellow square of paper.
The performer retrieves the book and holds it with the Post-It
paper facing the floor, I dont want to see what youve written, so
take this dust jacket to act as a screen. Slipping the dust jacket
from the book, the performer hands it, still note side down, to the
helper, as he places the book aside.
Concentrate on your word, letter by letter, commands the
Mentalist. I sense the letters G, N, I, Z, A, M, and A. No, wait! I
have that backwards. The word is AMAZING!
Obtain a hard cover book which has a smooth, dark surface. A
light colored dust jacket is helpful - it must be white on the inside.
With a container of underarm antiperspirant which lists Aluminum
Chlorhydroxide as an ingredient, spray the inside front cover of the
dust jacket to give it a white coating of the antiperspirant.
The coating will transfer just like carbon paper to the dark
cover of the book. On a smooth cover, it wipes off with a thumb
stroke.
143
Editors Desk
NEMCON Greetings
As I write this on my now-obsolete Macintosh PowerBook 100, Im
sitting on the edge of my bed at the Holiday Inn, North Haven, CT, at
the NEMCON (New England Magicians CONvention). I seldom work
magic conventions, but this one was an exception and Im glad for it.
The folks here at the Tom Prete Assembly #127 put on a hellova oneday event. Havent had so much fun in ages.
The ever-eclectic John Riggs has yet another book in print, this
time published by Jerry Mentzer. Magic from the Ambient Domain
is 81/2 x 11 inches in size, perfect bound, and contains 94 numbered
pages of material with a disparate appeal. How else could I describe a
book which illustrates both balloon animals and PK with a fork? The
fork thing, by the way, is a perfect companion for Alain Nus piece, in
this issue.
It wont be long before the subscription renewals go in the mail, so
start reviewing the presentations published since issue #15 (the cutoff
issue for last years feedback) to supply your nominations for next
years SYZYGYs BEST! If the little number to the right of your name
on each issues envelope is greater than 36, you probably wont get a
renewal notice, but your input is still important.
Reaction to Fred Rosenbaums Chinese Menu piece in issue #25
was so positive that we made arrangements to go commercial with it
as the first SYZYGY Exclusive Release (yes, there will be others to
come). Szechuan Sampler is available now for $50.00 plus $5.00
postage. You must see these fabulous menus to appreciate their
quality. They are virtually indistinguishable from legitimate
restaurant menus. Theres even a take-out menu among
the set. The gift certificates, featuring a Chinese dragon in
red and black wrapped around the page, are gorgeous! You
get three of them, each imprinted with a different price, for
repeat shows. The total is changed depending upon which
four menus are used (you actually get six menus).
More lecture dates: Omaha, Nebraska hosts SYZYGYs
BEST! on Friday, March 22nd. Phone Phil Digger
Hardiman, at (712) 527-5241, to save your seat at the 7:00
p.m. event.
The next morning (11:00 a.m.) finds me presenting at Twin Cities
Magic, (612) 227-7888, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Portland, Oregon is the city where well put SYZYGYs BEST! on
video tape. David Fredric Ashton, III will be behind the camera
and in the editing suite. The combined lecture & shoot is Thursday
March 28. David is promoting the lecture himself, so if you want to be
part of the fun and in on the action, reserve your place now by calling
him at (503) 727-2654.
And since, transcontinentally speaking, Ill be in the neighborhood,
the lecture will be presented in Seattle, Washington on Sunday,
March 31, at 2:00 p.m. Ed Loveland is your contact for that event,
at (204) 631-7516.
144
Volume 2, Number 13
Paul Pacific
Issue # 31
Greeked!

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
People often ask me,

confesses the Mentalist, If youre
so clever, why dont you just pick
next weeks Lotto numbers and
then retire? That question deserves
an honest answer, and here it is:
Ive tried and failed! Its not
difficult to get images of the little
balls dropping into the chute, but
making out the numbers on them is
something else altogether. How does one correct the
vision of the minds eye?
What I can see, he continues, often turns out to be
interesting, at least in retrospect. And it does seem that the more
one has at stake in the outcome, the more accurate the preview
becomes. Thats why, when I mailed my impressions of a future
event to your company representative, I included a well-stocked
wallet. If my forecast is inaccurate, the cash will be donated to
your groups favorite charity. Talk about incentive!
Will the holder of the stakes join me on stage? Please verify
that, several weeks ago, you were sent a sealed envelope
containing a bulky object and that this is the very same item
sealed in this envelope? If you will tear open the envelope, you will
find my wallet inside, which contains a significant amount of cash,
yes? In addition, there is a sealed manila coin envelope which you
should now tear open in order to remove and display the contents.
As the performer holds up the front page of the daily
newspaper, the participant unfolds a thin sheet of tracing paper
which bears an unmistakable similarity to the newspapers layout,
complete with a sketched image of each photograph!
The mailed wallet is one of the Himber switching type. Inside
one section is a manila coin envelope containing a blank sheet of
tracing paper. Before the show, meet
with the recipient and ask him to tear
In desktop
open the envelope and remove the
publishing,
wallet. From a duplicate envelope you
greeking means
remove a handful of currency which
turning detail too
you will place in the wallet. Your
small to read into
excuse is, of course, that you didnt feel graphic elements.
comfortable sending cash in the mail.
Concealed beneath the currency is
a second coin envelope containing a rough sketch of the
newspapers front page, complete
with your renderings of the photos. When you open the wallet to
Please turn to GREEKED!, page 148
145
Gary Ward
PSImpathy
There is often a strange, almost magical bond between lovers,
begins the Mentalist, one which manifests itself in the most
unusual of ways. Are there any lovers here?
A young man and woman near the front cautiously raise their
hands. Step over here, instructs the performer, and well
demonstrate your compatibility. Each of you should take one of
these testing templates and hold it in front of you, like a tray.
Positioning the participants so they face away from one
another, the performer steps between them and says, From this
point forward, your thoughts and actions will not be subject to any
visual influence from your partner.
Notice that there are six circles on each template, informs the
Mentalist, designated with the letters A through F, and six coins,
a penny, nickel, dime, quarter, half-dollar, and silver dollar. Place
your coins, in a random order, so each circle is occupied, like this
(the performer illustrates for each participant). By the way, the
odds are over 700 to 1 against your initial lineups being identical.
These directions, reminds the Mentalist, picking up a
preprinted instruction card, will tell you to switch or remove
coins. Pay close attention as I read them.
The performer reads from the instruction card:
1. Switch the positions of the dime and the quarter;
2. Switch the positions of the dollar and the penny;
3. Remove the coin on circle F;
4. Locate the lowest valued coin and switch it with the
coin directly next to it on either side;
5. If there is a coin on circle A, remove it;
6. Locate the two highest value coins and switch their
positions;
7. If the penny is still on your template, switch it with
the coin directly next to it on either side;
8. If there is a coin on circle B, remove it;
9. Switch a silver colored coin for a copper colored coin if two of
them are directly next to each other;
10. If there are coins on circles C and E, remove them;
11. Note which coin remains and what circle it occupies.
Lets see if your minds are para-sympathetic, the Mentalist
suggests. What coin or coins remain, and where are they to be
found? Both subjects have, in the same lettered circle, the penny!
Attach photocopies of page 147 to two pieces of stiff poster
board to make a solid panel which will serve as a tray. Place an
assortment of six coins on each and your preparation is complete.
When you illustrate how to place the coins, push each trays
silver dollar onto one of the A - C - E circles, after which each
participant places the remaining coins in a random order.
146
This is a charming
compabatibility test.
With one simple
subterfuge the
outcome is
preordained.
Para-Sympathetic Testing Template

This template is to be used in the Rhine Para-Sympathetic testing
series to correlate the responses between two individuals or a small
group of individuals (t<=4). Ideal testing conditions should be obtained
with (t=2). A delta coefficient of less than 0.05 within group variance is
considered relevant for the test performed.
Copyright 1978 by Para-Psi Testing, Inc., Houston, TX
Form 2397PS
Lee Earle at the Editors Desk:

This page may appear a little odd; I omitted the usual headline,
gaining three extra lines of text. The change will be permanent.
Thanks to John Riggs for the idea of using a greeked layout
for the newspaper prediction in Paul Pacifics piece in this issue.
Some subscribers received a mailing, with address labels from
SYZYGY, for Ted Karmilovichs Mother Of All Booktests.
Occasionally and irregularly, you may receive other product
mailings. The dealer supplies the stuffed, sealed, and pre-stamped
envelopes and I apply labels and mail the envelopes. Subscribers
get the benefit of receiving product updates while knowing that
SYZYGYs subscriber list is never released.
Look for some killer material from Ted in future issues.
John Gardner (James Bond author, P.E.A. member, and
SYZYGY subscriber) will undergo periodic maintenance to clean
out an artery or two this month. Hell be back in circulation soon.
While on the subject of things surgical, Robert Bluemle (Dr.
Juris) finally let his M.D. take an arthroscopic snip or two on his
gimpy knee. The prognosis is excellent and hes looking forward to
globe-trotting over to Africa this December.
Most one-year subscriptions come due soon. This will be the
final opportunity for charter subscribers to extend (for up to three
years) at the original rate. It would be very helpful if renewals
were mailed in before May 15th. That makes planning for the next
year much simpler.
All remaining Volume One back issues (#1 through #18) have
been assembled into a final 50 sets of Volume One Complete.
There will be no more when these are gone, although a scattered
selection of individual issues will be on hand for a while longer.
GREEKED!, continued
display the dummy envelope inside, the open wallet is
supported by your hand holding the cash. Thats when your
fingers beneath the wallet push the duplicate envelope into the
opposite side of the wallet. The illustration explains it.
When you mailed the wallet, you placed the coin envelope
under one of the pocket-flaps. Ease it out now so it merely rests
on the face of the open wallet. Close the wallet for a moment,
to get a pen from your pocket. When you re-open the wallet,
you access the other side, the one with the newly inserted
prediction envelope. Ask your participant to write the
total of the cash on the envelope, place the currency on top
of it so the bills overlap the end of the wallet, and flip the
wallet closed. The protruding currency provides a perfect
marker to indicate which side of the wallet to open on stage.
Slip the wallet inside the now-empty cash envelope and seal it.
Return the entire package to your participant to keep and bring on
stage during your program.
148
Volume 2, Number 14
Ted Karmilovich
Issue # 32
Bold & Beautiful Prophecy

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
The performer points to a frontrow member of the audience who

is sitting to his extreme left and
asks, Please name a simple
geometric design...a triangle?
Thank you.
He indicates a second person
front row, center and asks,
Would you mind stating aloud
you choice of any major city in
the United States? Let me give you a
hint, the performer pauses, that leaves
out Highland Park. (When he plays another small town, hell use
that towns name. It always gets him a good laugh.) Newark?
confirms the performer, Even better.
To complete the triad, continues the Mentalist, directing his
comments to a third individual seated in the front row to the
performers far right, you must name any well-known celebrity
whose reputation will be known to everyone here. Cher? Perfect!
Reaching into his pocket, the entertainer informs, Previously,
my impressions were recorded on the backs of my business cards.
Here they are. He withdraws three business cards from his
pocket and removes the paper clip which holds the cards together.
He fans the cards, printed sides toward the audience.
On the back of one, he explains, I recorded a geometric
design. He pulls a card from the fan. A second card bears the
name of a city, he says as another card is withdrawn from the fan.
The third card records the name of an actress, says the
performer, as the fans final card is taken in the other hand.
The Mentalist asks each of the participants to stand. He hands
one of the cards to each person, then says, Please read, silently,
what is written on the backs of your cards. As I recall, the choices
were Cher, Newark, and a Triangle,
correct? If the prediction you are
holding is 100 percent accurate, please Ted is the creator of
The Mother Of All
be seated and lead the applause.
Booktests which is
All three participants take their
destined
to become a
seats and begin clapping!
The working is simplicity in itself; classic of Mentalism.
each business card bears the same
prediction: One of the choices will be
a TRIANGLE. Re-read the presentation to appreciate the doublespeak which makes this piece work. As far as the participants are
concerned, the cards just got mixed up when you distributed them.
Please turn to BOLD & BEAUTIFUL, page 152
149
George Kirkendall
Four on a Date
Numerology, begins the Mentalist, is the art, some would say
science, of using numbers to determine ones aptitudes,
capabilities, and options. Each of us is said to have a unique
number to which our personality vibrates.
Tearing a no longer needed page from a wall calendar, the
performer suggests, Lets find your personal number for this
month. Please outline a square of numbers which is four dates
wide and four dates deep. The result will be a group of sixteen
numbers, four on a side.
The performer writes something on a piece of paper which he
places, writing side down, to one side saying, Ive written my
educated guess as to what your number might be. Well see later if
that estimate is correct.
Handing the participant four coins, the Mentalist instructs,
Place one coin on any date within that square. Good. Heres a
pencil. Please draw a line through every date in the same row as
that coin. And while youre at it, draw a line through every date
which is in the same column as the coin.
Once the lines are drawn, the performer continues, Deposit a
second coin on any unmarked date and repeat the procedure of
marking out dates in the same row and colum. The participant
does so.
In a final instruction, the entertainer requests,
Now do the same with the final two coins, making
sure no coin goes on a marked date.
The Mentalist concludes, Your random
placement of those coins has guaranteed a
selection of four numbers unique to your mood at
this moment. Please remove the coins and
calculate the total of those four numbers which
they covered.
The participant adds the four figures and
reaches a total.
Youll remember that, before you even
began randomly choosing numbers, I made a
notation which was placed aside? Would you read it now,
please?
The number, written on the paper, is exactly the same as the
total calculated by the participant!
George has been doing this stunt for years and its always one
which people talk about. The method is quite simple. Once the
participant has outlined a 4x4 square of dates, mentally add the
dates in the four corners of the square and write that total on your
prediction paper. The rest of the handling is automatic.
150
George has taken an

ancient principle
and has crafted a
delightful
presentation. Try it!
Pierre Barry
Blow Out the Candles
A challenging aspect
of Mentalism
involves finding new
presentations for old
methods. Like this
one, for example.
Addressing the table of diners, the Mentalist asks, Is anyone

here celebrating a birthday? No? Is anyone about to? No? Has
anyone recently celebrated one? Yes? Good, I was
running out of options!
The performer quickly sketches something on an
index card, lays his pencil on the table, and asks the
person who spoke up, Imagine that you are celebrating
your birthday today. Before you on the table is a large
birthday cake, adorned with the appropriate number of
candles. Can you see that picture in your mind?
When the participant acknowledges that the image is
in place, the Mentalist continues, Its customary for the
birthday celebrant, after making a secret wish, to blow out
the candles on the cake. If all the candles are extinguished
in one breath, then the wish will come true.
Continuing, the performer says, I cant guarantee any
results like that, but I have recorded, on this card, my
impressions of future events. In your mind make a wish
and then blow out most, but not all, of the candles. How
many are still burning? Six? Thats interesting. In your
mind remove all the extinguished candles, leaving only the
burning ones on the cake.
Handing the index card, drawing side down, to the
participant, the Mentalist says, Once again, remind us how
many candles still burn on that birthday cake in your
mind?
The participant says, Six.
Please turn that card over, instructs the performer, and read
aloud whats written there.
He reads, Your wish will come true if you leave 6 candles
burning. Above the text is an illustration of a birthday cake with
six candles!
What a novel presentation using our old friend, the swami
gimmick. Or nail writer, boon writer, etc.
Pre-write the prediction statement near the bottom of the card,
leaving a space for the numeral to be filled in. Near the top of the
card, as in the illustration, make a sketch of a birthday cake.
Its no trouble at all to add the appropriate digit in the empty
space, once the participant announces the number of candles still
burning. As he is mentally removing the other candles, turn the
card sideways and stroke the number of candles onto the cake.
Dont move your thumb, just place the point of the lead on the cake
and pull the card straight to one side, lifting the point from the
paper for a moment to create the space between candle and flame.
Repeat for each candle.
151

Boy am I red-faced! It shouldnt have happened and
proofreading should have caught it, but the piece in issue #31, page
146, did not have the contributors name at the head of the page.
For the record, PSImpathy is the brainchild of Gary Ward of
Spring, TX. Sorry, Gary. SYZYGY has just transitioned from an
older computer typesetting program to a newer and (of course)
more complicated one. In the confusion, I let the mistake slip by.
Congratulation to Docc Hilford for landing a lucrative
contract with Jose Cuervo Tequila 28 one-day promo events.
John Riggs reports that his new book, The Even Compleater
Fortune Teller is now ready to ship. Eighty pages and chapters on
Blindfold Q & A and Historical Q & A. Its $35.00 postpaid from
John at: 1004 Craig Road, Knoxville, TN 37919, or call him at: 423
521-6705. I havent seen the book yet, but I like everything else
John has produced, so its a good bet.
Portland, Oregon was a superb host city for the videotaping of
SYZYGYs BEST! David Fredric Ashton, III was behind the
camera for this live-audience shoot. The following evening David
and I sat in the editing suite of Diligent Productions, adding titles
and close-ups where necessary, producing a video exactly 1:59:37
long. If you missed the lecture, heres your chance to see these
fabulous presentations in performance, complete with all the
handling tips & techniques that come after over 50 lectures. The
full two-hour video is $35.00 in US-VHS and US$45.00 in PAL-VHS
(non-US) format. The tapes will be ready in plenty of time for the
Psychic Entertainers Associations Meeting Of The Minds in Valley
Forge, PA this June 13-16.
By the way, the final U.S. venue for SYZYGYs BEST! is the
Magic Castle, on May 19. As you read this, I am presenting the
lecture in France, England, Scotland, and Ireland through May 12.
After a final swing through Australia and New Zealand (and
perhaps Honolulu if we can work it out), the current lecture will be
retired, to be replaced with selections from Volume Two. So, if you
havent sent in your ballot (enclosed with issue #31) for the new
SYZYGYs BEST!, do it now. The results will be tallied in June.
BOLD & BEAUTIFUL, continued
Make up several sets of cards, substituting SQUARE, CIRCLE,
and RECTANGLE. Place each set in a different pocket, building a
body index. You dont need to wait until the end of the presentation
to bring out the packet. Just as soon as you learn the geometric
figure you can casually bring out the appropriate packet and keep it
in view, using it as a pointer when addressing your participants.
When you fan the cards with the writing toward youself to
recount the three choices, you must appear to read the writing on
the backs of the cards before you pull them out of your hand. This
little sell makes all the difference.
152
Lee Earle
The Secret
Circuit

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Performers, especially Mentalists,

are always on the lookout for a place to
perform where they can polish their new material without
jeopardizing their reputation with current clients.
Back in 1978-1981, I discovered a brand-new, untouched
market of audiences eager (if not desperate) for entertainment.
These venues provided a fantastic opportunity to work the kinks
out of my routines and be to paid handsomely as well.
As far as I know, it was the first time anyone linked all of these
individual locations into one national circuit. There are still few, if
any, entertainers who are taking advantage of this huge potential.
In only the second year I worked
this circuit, albeit as an unknown
This article is
magicomedian with a one-hour show, I
excerpted
from the
managed to book 65 one-night dates
authors new book,
over 84 days, across the sun belt of
tentatively
entitled,
the southern United States.
Golden Highways
Enterprising Mentalists can do much
better, now.
It was late 1977 when longtime
friend, Chris Allen of Mesa, AZ, suggested that I was missing a
good bet, figuratively right in my own backyard.
For years, the city of Mesa, AZ (suburb of Phoenix) has been a
haven for retired, middle-class folks from those northern U.S.
states where the snow piles up deeply every winter. These
snowbirds come south in mammoth homes-on-wheels otherwise
known as a Recreational Vehicles (or RVs) to enjoy the more
comfortable weather which Arizona offers. They flock together in
mammoth facilities which offer, in addition to electrical, telephone,
water, and sewer hookups for their motor homes, every feature one
could imagine.
Most of these mini-communities offer swimming pools, spas,
shuffleboard and tennis courts. They often boast very luxurious
recreational centers where
hobbies and crafts are
available. Many are
equipped with nice multiuse rooms with platforms
or stages for residents to
enjoy square dances,
bingo games, church
services, and
entertainment.
153
At one time the only entertainment might have been a new

square dance caller or a pot & pan novelty band from a
nearby sister RV resort. These were attractive options for
folks who spent all winter playing shuffleboard and
watching grass grow. Todays RV resorts offer a
greater variety of entertainment alternatives but are
still fertile fields for new ideas and presentations.
Back in 1980, outside entertainment was so rare
that the Activities Directors at the RV parks were
hungry for something novel. The problem existed,
however, that they also had no budget for bringing in
performers. It was like pulling teeth to get them to
pay a decent fee.
Only after I adapted a technique suggested to me by
none other than Harry Anderson did the money begin flowing
in. Ill disclose his method, as well as others, later in this report.
The good news is that these RV resorts are not limited to
Arizona. California, Texas, and Florida have large concentrations
of seasonal citizens. In Texas they are referred to as winter
Texans. Most states have small clusters of RV parks and mobile
home communities which will serve your purposes.
By the way, these audiences come from a generation which grew
up enjoying the live variety entertainment offered by vaudeville and
burlesque; they are very responsive to good, clean programs. Dont
even think about doing blue or risqu material.
In the intervening years since I worked the circuit, the number
of RV parks has almost doubled, with the largest of these putting
up to 1,500 people in their auditoriums.
Today, the Activities Directors of the RV
resorts in some areas form loose alliances and
pass the word to one another as to which
performers offer good value and which ones
should be given the cold shoulder. The local
Arizona RV resorts introduced the practice of
holding entertainment auditions (showcases)
with many of the Activities Directors
previewing acts for their resorts.
This is good for both the entertainer and
the RV resorts because any opportunistic
local performers who may eventually try to
undercut your prices must show their stuff
instead of merely talking their way into those dates. This practice
also allows a certain economy of scale on the part of the performer,
reducing the initial need for individual contact with each separate
Activities Director.
You are pretty much on your own when it comes to setting fees,
but its a good idea to never charge less a dollar per person based
on the anticipated size of the audience. You shouldnt be too
apprehensive regarding fees anyway, because you are about to
learn the real secret to maximizing your take at these events.
154
You dont need to charge a fee.

Thats right in many instances you will be happy to perform
for free. Provided you are afforded the opportunity to pass the
hat following your show.
I know this sounds crazy. Thats exactly what I thought
when the idea was presented to me by Harry Anderson.
He, of course, had plenty of experience as a street
entertainer and felt comfortable working for tips. They didnt
call him Harry the Hat (a moniker he later used on the
Cheers television series) for nothing. Once I got over my
shock and surprise at the idea, it began to make sense. The
most delightful thing about working for gratuities is that there is
no upper limit on what you can make.
The Activities Directors have a fund from which they must
pay for everything from bingo cards to hobby supplies. It
stands to reason that they are reluctant to spend large
amounts from this account. On the other hand, if you offer
to add to that account, by rebating a percentage of your take
as a rental fee for the auditorium, they see your presentation
as an opportunity to augment their meager activities fund.
Some RV resorts have a similar policy in place already. You
must resist the temptation of looking at this percentage as a
kickback or payola. Instead, consider how little you would
make if you didnt book the show.
Its a good idea to put a limit on how much you will be
expected to pay. After a little experience on the circuit, you
may even be willing to guarantee an amount. You should
prefer a fixed figure, even a high one, to a percentage, because
with a percentage deal the Activities Director wants to collect and
count the money first. Its your money and you dont necessarily
want someone else counting it for you. Besides, once they find out
how well you are doing, they may ask for a larger cut.
When setting up a show at which you pass the hat, avoid using
the same receptacles which everyone else uses. Coffee cans are
common, as are baskets. The reason for this is simple - you are
interrupting a habit pattern. If audiences are accustomed to
putting in pocket change when the can comes around, thats all
youll get. If, on the other hand, you employ your own more
elegant and somewhat larger containers, your take will snowball;
first because of the fact that its not the same old thing to put the
money in and second because it never looks full.
Early on, I developed a great pitch for the end of the show and
the small baskets filled up before they reached all of the audience.
This is not a good thing. People figured that I had made enough
money already and didnt feel guilty about not contributing. When
I switched to a large container (a large Mad Hatter chapeau over
18 inches tall - several of them, actually) the take increased
enormously.
One sneaky thing I did when in south Texas was to have
constructed (in nearby Mexico) a number of baskets woven
155
especially for taking the collection. The interesting thing was

that the open weave of each basket was such that coins would fall
through the holes. When I made my closing pitch I would point out
this novelty of construction, always with the wink of an eye so that
the audience knew that I knew that they got the message.
As the baskets were being passed, I went into an encore effect
as a thank you for the audiences generosity. Most of the time it
was something fast, visual, and funny.
Never allow the collection to be made before the performance.
Unless you are willing to accept the habitual dropping of a quarter
or two into the can at the start of the show simply because thats
what the audience is used to doing. Tell the Activities Director that
you prefer to wait until the audience has seen the show before you
ask them to donate. After all, thats only fair. Why should they pay
for what they havent seen? (We know they will like it, but thats
the rationale.)
One direct benefit about passing the hat is that you are seldom
tempted to phone in your show. Because what shows up in the
hat at the conclusion of your performance is in direct proportion to
how well the audience feels they have been entertained, you are
always reminded to be at your best. Likewise, the take is a direct
measure of your effectiveness as a performer. Instant feedback.
And thats not your only source of income.
You can easily supplement your fee by offering short personal
readings following your show. Provide a free palm, tarot, or
signature reading with the purchase of every $10.00 pitch book. It
takes just one hour of your time to deliver ten 5-minute readings;
you do the math. Make sure you arent violating any local
ordinances you dont want the sheriff paying an unwelcome visit.
Memory loss is a valid concern among senior citizens and a
combination Total Recall program and workshop will find an
eager audience. Harry Loraynes Magic Square memory demo,
George Sands Sandsational ESP, and my own Memory Stunt from
First Impressions are all workable material. The performance is an
in-person infomercial for your inexpensive books & audio tapes as
well as for your workshops in which you teach mnemonic technique.
A Question & Answer act is also right on target. Expect lots of
queries like, How safe is our house back in Iowa? or Are the kids
and grandkids doing well? or Is the diagnosis correct? or
Should I sell now? Remember to use caution, discretion, and
common sense. Save all the billets from your shows and index them
for reference later. Its solid gold information.
Use your performance as a vehicle to promote and book Psi
Parties among the residents. Schedule them for the open days
between show dates. The possibilities are endless.
Whether you are young and unattached, retired and willing to
travel, or just anxious to find more venues in which to practice your
craft, The Secret Circuit is ready and waiting for the enterprising
performer.
Your fortune awaits.
156
Golden Highways contains

a step by step marketing
plan which shows you how
to set up your own tour,
finding and booking the
most profitable RV Resorts
from coast to coast.
Find out more about

printing and selling your
own personalized pitch
items from publications by
Richard Webster, 22 Mariott
Road, Pakauranga,
Auckland, New Zealand.
Boris Korvo
Volume 2, Number 15
Issue # 33
Technicolor Trio

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
The Mentalist displays a

memo cube, a stack of
several hundred separate
square papers enclosed in a
clear plastic container. The
first dozen sheets are red, the
next twelve are all yellow
sheets, and the following
twelve sheets are green.
Addressing a member of
his audience, the Mentalist instructs,
Please take this pen and draw, sketch, or
doodle something on the top sheet of this stack of square papers.
Artistic skill doesnt count, only participation. So be creative.
When the participant is done, the performer scrunches the
paper into a small ball and drops it into a mesh bag of the type
used to keep small items together in a washing machine.
Maintaining a lively commentary, he approaches eleven other
participants, obtaining a quick sketch from each and subsequently
rolling each paper into a ball to be deposited in the mesh bag.
The Mentalist continues, The yellow sheets require any
number between one hundred and one thousand, as long as all
three digits are different. One after another, participants are
requested to write their numbers until all the yellow papers have
been written upon, balled up, and dropped in with the others.
Finally, says the performer, when presented a green paper,
you must write a single word. It will help if the word is descriptive
of something easily visualized. As before, audience participants
are encouraged to write on the green pages which, rolled into
marble-sized pellets, join the red & yellow ones in the bag.
By now, the mentalist teases, you must be wondering the
purpose of gathering these random words, numbers, and
drawings. Handing a marking pen
and three large pieces of colored
posterboard to the person holding the Boris Korvo wants to
make sure that full
papers, he goes on, Please take one
credit for this idea
paper of each color from the bag and
goes
to the legendary
reproduce their contents on a larger
Robert Nelson.
scale on a matching colored
posterboard. Ill face away from you to
give you some privacy.
When the participant has finished reproducing the selected
targets, the performer takes duplicate colored panels in hand and
asks, Focus, please, on each item. First the red yes! He draws
something on his red panel.
Please turn to TECHNICOLOR, page 160
157
Leo Boudreau
Picture Show
It was reported recently, announces the Mentalist, that the
Pentagon has funded research in remote viewing. The ability to
perceive distant targets by clairvoyant means would have obvious
advantages on the battlefield.
In fact, this ability exists in all of us, to one degree or another.
University researchers will ask volunteers to visit local landmarks
such as museums, airports, and the like, chosen at random by the
volunteers themselves. A test subject remains behind in the
laboratory to record his impressions of the places visited by the
volunteers.
Choosing three participants from the audience, the performer
continues, You will visit some of my favorite places, not in person,
but in your imaginations. He picks up a large photo album which
contains over 60 pages of postcards mounted three to a page, and
flips through the pages showing that no scene is duplicated. The
group of three is asked to page through the book to decide for
themselves a page focus upon.
One of the helpers is directed to concentrate on the top
postcard, another on the middle scene on the page, and the third
volunteer focuses on the bottom view. The chances are, says the
Mentalist, that at least one of you will be able to project a clear
image of your target.
Slowly the performer begins to relate the impressions he
receives, An image is coming to mind...reflections...a body of
water...flowing. Does that make sense to you? It does? And I also
see giant redwood trees...a tall, delicate waterfall...a building with
a prominent dome.
The Mentalist goes on to describe in accurate detail each of the
images being viewed by the three participants.
It would appear that there is an unlimited selection from
among the postcards in the album. In fact, there are only seven
different pages, each of which bears one set of three postcards.
These seven pages are repeated three times to make a total of 21
pages in the album. When an image is repeated on a subsequent
set of pages, a postcard of the same subject taken from a different
perspective or in a horizontal format instead of vertical is used.
In order to determine which of the seven pages is the one the
participants are focusing upon, the performer makes only the one
statement about reflections, water, etc. The combination of
participants who acknowledge that there is water in their image
provides the only clue needed.
Heres how it works: Since the first participant looks only at
the Top image, lets call him Tom. The Center postcard belongs to
Cathy, and the Bottom picture is Bills. There are seven
158
Leo credits Simon

Aronson for the
multiple participant
pumping technique.
combinations of positive responses which are possible when the group

of three is queried: 1) Tom only; 2) Cathy only; 3) Bill only; 4) Tom and
Cathy; 5) Tom and Bill; 6) Cathy and Bill, or; 7) Tom, Cathy, and Bill.
So when Cathy and Bill acknowledge the presence of water in their
images (Center and Bottom postcards), then you know that group 6 has
been selected and you can proceed accordingly. If only Tom confirms
water, then you are dealing with group 1.
In this sample crib sheet, each boldfaced subject is reflected in a
pond, has a fountain, or is adjacent a large body of water:
Page
Top
Center
Bottom
One
Seattles Space
Needle
Pikes Place
Market
Mount
Rainier
Two
San Franciscos
Chinatown
Alcatraz Prison
Univ. of Cal.
at Berkeley
Three The steam clock

in Vancouver
US-Canada
Friendship Arch
Totem pole in
Vancouver, BC
Four
Long Beach
skyline
S.S. Queen Mary

at Long Beach
Disneyland
Park
Five
Coronado
bridge
San Diego Zoo
Veterans
Cemetery
Six
Sequoia
Forest
A waterfall at
Yosemite Park
Diablo Canyon
Nuclear Plant
The fountain at
a resort hotel
Point Loma
Lighthouse
Seven Aerial View of

Coronado Beach
Editors Note: Each pages postcards are from the same

geographical area which allows an easy association of images.
If you wish to have all the postcards different, you can build
additional, totally different 7-page sets which conform to the same
overall descriptions, but are from a different part of the world (for
example the western U.S., eastern U.S., and Europe).
The Space Needle (towerlike structure, panoramic view) is replaced
in subsequent sets by the Washington Monument (Eastern U.S.) and
the Eiffel Tower (Europe); Rikers Island in New York and the Tower of
London are prisons surrounded by water (or a moat), just like Alcatraz.
After learning which generic page within a set the participants are
viewing, you describe the target scenes in abstract terms , I see a
building with a dome... (Nuclear plant, U.S. Capitol, St. Pauls
Cathedral). A glance over your shoulder allows you to see which set of
7 pages is being used. Just observe which section of the scrapbook is
open (Western U.S: first 7 pages, Eastern U.S: middle 7 pages, Europe:
last 7 pages). With that information you can now fully describe the
images in their minds.
159

After five weeks touring the lecture through France, England,
Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, Im exhausted. Its great to be back.
The hospitality offered at every stop was second to none. Here
are a few random memories: French host Daniel Rhod navigating
at full speed through Parisian traffic...the delicious home-cooked
meal prepared by Doreen Knott...Glasgows Douglas Camerons
gift bottle of Deanston single malt whiskey...the guest inn in Clwyd
where Shakespeare stayed...running into Terry Seabrooke on the
train platform at Preston and spending the next 2 hours talking
with him as we returned to London...Balti cuisine after the
Wolverhampton lecture with Peter Jefferies...trading war stories
with Tony Griffith at Bath... John Buddens handsome
tuxedo...the memorial service for Peter Warlock at Londons St.
Martins in the Fields church... Ali Bongo and Teller (of Penn &
Teller) at the Magic Circle...the tasty buffet laid on at the
Upminster venue, supervised by the lovely Barbara Budden...the
impact of the lost bag impromptu lecture at Ilford...yet another
delicious Indian meal with Colin Peters following the
Leatherhead lecture...meeting actor Dennis Franz at The Ivy
restaurant in London...all the shades of green around Irelands
Newgrange neolithic burial mound...the photo opportunity with
Dublins Lord Mayor...and Guiness Stout!
Extra thanks go to Morley Budden for producing the tour and
to Quentin Reynolds for hosting us during our stay in Dublin.
The us being me and my wife Dawn Earle. She flew over to the
U.K. for a weekend of overdosing on musical theatre (Cats,
Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Starlight
Express, and Sunset Boulevard) before trekking with me to Eire.
Technicolor, continued
Say the numbers on the yellow sheet over and over in your
mind of course! He pens something on his yellow panel.
Visualize the green cards word I think I have it! The Mentalist
writes on his green panel.
Lets compare our results, suggests the performer to the
participant, Turn your colored panels around so we all can see
them and Ill do the same.
Of course all three items are a perfect match.
How? The doodles, numbers, and words written by the
participants vanish shortly thereafter because the pen uses
disappearing ink! These pens, which have a purple colored ink, are
found in fabric stores. Seamstresses use them to temporarily mark
fabric prior to stitching. Using a duplicate color of ink, the three
force items are previously written on the undersides of the
appropriate colored papers.
The mesh bag allows a free flow of air around the crumpled
papers to accelerate the ink fading a plastic bag would not.
160
Volume 2, Number 16
Raj Madhok
Issue # 34
Melts in Your Mind

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
There has been a lot of publicity,

begins the Mentalist, surrounding
the new color of M&Ms candy. A
national contest was held, with
blue being selected as the next
color for the hard shell surrounding
the milk chocolate.
There were originally five colors
available; red, yellow, orange, green, and
brown, continues the performer. He writes on a small, square
Post-It note pad, quarter folds the paper, and sticks it to the back
cover of a paperback book. The book is turned sticky-note-sidedown, and he continues, Imagine, if you will, that this book is a
tray with one M&Ms candy of each color, all in a line. Can you see
them? You can? And they call me crazy!
The Mentalist goes on, pointing to each imaginary candy as he
names it, Ive arranged them rainbow color order. Theres the red
one on the end, the orange one is right next to it. The yellow candy
is in the very center. The next piece is green and the last candy in
the row is the brown one.
Asking the participant for his help, the performer says, Reach
out and pretend to pick up one of the candies in each hand. Which
colors did you select? Brown and red? Hold them for just a
moment. I promise they wont melt in your hand. We should allow
some of the others to indulge their imaginary sweet tooth, too.
The remaining pretend-candies are distributed among other
onlookers.
Maintaining the pretense, the Mentalist asks, Since you hold
the brown and red M&Ms candies, which one will you share with
me? Red? Ill hold it while you go ahead and eat the one youre
holding so you can tell me one last thing: Is this one a plain or
peanut M&M? Peanut?
The book is turned over and the
Post-It note is removed. It reads, I
sense the last imaginary candy will be This issue happens
to feature three
a red, peanut M&M.
pieces from the
Besides using equivoque to select
group known as the
the color, a second pre-prepared and
Minnesota Mind Psi.
folded Post-It note is previously
attached to the books back cover. Its
message is, I sense the last candy will
be a red, plain chocolate M&M. Because the notes are quarterfolded, its a simple matter to cover one or the other when
removing the proper one at the end of the presentation.
Please turn to M&M, page 164
161
Earl Keyser
The IQ Chart
An optometrist, begins the Mentalist, can easily determine
your visual acuity using a simple eye chart. To measure what
takes place in your minds eye takes a different approach entirely.
The performer hands a printed list to a participant and says,
From among this specially selected set of words, please mentally
select one of them to keep in your mind. Some are easily
visualized like radio and flame while others are extremely
difficult to picture like exist and lowly. You may choose either
type to test your projective imagination.
Sometimes it helps, when tackling a difficult task, to break it
down into smaller components. Think of only the first letter of the
word in your mind. Here, offers the Mentalist, handing an
eyechart to his helper, find that letter and focus your eyes on it.
You may have to search on both sides of the chart.
The performer continues, Good! Do the same with the next
letter - and the next letter. Visualize the fourth letter, locate it
on the chart, and focus on it. Now repeat with the final letter.
Having concentrated on the shape of each letter in the
word, continues the Mentalist, now visualize the word as a whole
- all five letters. Fantastic! Shift your gaze to my eyes and see the
word spelled in your mind. There is only one word which could fit
your eye movement pattern and it is marsh. Correct?
The working is in two parts. First the word list, with cues:
QQQQQ
QQQQI
QQQIQ
QQQII
WORTH
GROWN
OZONE
ITEMS
QIQQQ
QIQQI
QIQIQ
QIQII
KNOCK
HURRY
EXIST
CLIMB
IQQQQ
IQQQI
IQQIQ
IQQII
JOKER
APRIL
SWEAT
LOWLY
IIQQQ
IIQQI
IIQIQ
IIQII
SLOTH
QUEEN
MARSH
BUILD
QQIQQ
QQIQI
QQIIQ
QQIII
PEACH
HOURS
THUMP
VENUS
QIIQQ
QIIQI
QIIIQ
QIIII
RADIO
GNAWS
TABLE
PLUMB
IQIQQ
IQIQI
IQIIQ
IQIII
MOUTH
FOLKS
YOUNG
BRAND
IIIQQ
IIIQI
IIIIQ
IIIII
UNDER
NASTY
FLAME
LANDS
The Q&I cues are for your eyes only. Make up a larger,
duplicate list for the participant. Construct enlarged versions of
the eye charts shown at the right and paste them back to back.
When the participant finds each letter in his word on the eye
chart, the top letter on the side which faces you supplies your cue.
Five successive cues locate, on your chart, the word in his mind.
In this example, the participant thinks of the word marsh.
He gazes at his first letter and you see an I. That locates his word
on the right half of the above list. Looking at his second letter also
shows an I which places you on the fourth column. The third
letter gives you a Q cue, locating the word in the top half of the
4th column. The final I and Q narrow the selection to marsh.
162
Theres a bonnie bit

of Becker and a byte
of Boudreau in this
clever presentation.
Chuck Hickok
Verbal Influence
Chuck is the current

President of the
Psychic Entertainers
Association.
Our purchase decisions, claims the Mentalist, are influenced

at the subconscious, subliminal level by the size, color, and shape
of the package as well as its placement on the store shelf.
Likewise, when we deal with a salesperson, we are influenced
by what that person says as well as how it is said.
The performer continues, picking up a packet of 30 or so
postcards, A visual choice made from this stack of postcards would
involve looking at each photograph to take in color, subject, and so
forth. You might prefer this scene of Minnesotas lakes, or this one
of downtown St. Paul. Perhaps your eyes are drawn to a shot of a
giant cherry & spoon or to this nighttime photo of a Vikings game.
With a twinkle in his eye, the Mentalist goes on, But if you are
shown only the backs of the postcards, at a distance where you
cannot read the captions, your prime influence will be verbal; the
sound of my voice, the speed at which I speak, and my choice of
emphasis. You will choose one, knowing that your choice is a free
one. And you will be wrong. Ive made a notation on the back of
my business card as to your final choice. Lets test.
As I hold up each postcard with its back to you, Ill ask the
same question in a different way. When you feel the impulse to
stop, just say yes otherwise, say no instead.
Do you want this postcard? Do you want this postcard? Do you
want this postcard? Do you want this postcard? Do you want this
postcard? Each time, when the helper decides to reject a postcard
being displayed, the Mentalist turns its picture side toward the
audience to show that it is yet another different scene, and then
places it on the bottom of his stack of postcards.
Sooner or later, the participant responds, Yes.
What influenced your decision? asks the Mentalist. My tone?
Emphasis on one word? Youll be surprised at the outcome. Please
read what is written on my business card.
The Mall of America, replies the helper.
Indeed, beams the performer as he turns around the card hes
holding. Still think youre immune to verbal influence?
The postcard at which the participant stopped is the only one
bearing an overhead view of the Mall of America!
Your stack of postcards is a version of the pop-eyed popper deck
familiar to magicians - there are 15 different cards and 15
duplicates, all trimmed to exactly the same size. Each of the
duplicates is attached to the back of one of the different cards with
dabs of wax, creating a double card which can be comfortably
handled as an ordinary postcard.
When one is selected, return it momentarily to the top of the
stack as you ask a question, split the two cards apart, and take the
top, force card back into your hand for your revelation.
163

Two weeks ago, following a presentation of the SYZYGYs
BEST! lecture at the Magic Castle, Paul Green came by to say
hello. He is marketing a clever new (everything old is new again)
take on the Mentalists DateBook routine called, The
Fortunetellers Book of Days. In essence, the participants lucky
playing card is found to have been entered in the DateBook on the
participants birthday! There is even a short cold-reading
paragraph for each of the 366 days of the year. The price is right,
$20.00. You can phone Paul at: 818.368.135, or write him at:
11559 Viking Avenue, Northridge, CA 91326.
Only saw a part of the Lance Burton television special, the
buried-alive segment, which bore a strong resemblance to a
presentation on video sent to me last year by Steve Shaw. Steve
mentioned that, unknown to Burton, a third party was responsible
for the unintended exchange of ideas and that Lance was a real
gentleman about the mix-up. Both men are class acts.
Mark Strivings squeezed in a couple of lectures just before the
Psychic Entertainers Associations Meeting Of The Minds, in
Philadelphia on June 10 and in Baltimore on June 11. The early
reviews are good. His Mobile Mentalism book/audio tape package
on walk-around mind reading is now available for $40.00 postpaid
to US addresses. Canadian & Mexican purchasers need to add an
extra $3.00 for postage; those living elsewhere should add $4.00.
Marks address is 3309 N. Grandview, Flagstaff, AZ 86004, and
his telephone number is 520 774-0804.
Docc Hilfords always surprising Weerd Weekend is set for
September 19-22, not far from balmy Palm Beach, Florida. Write
for information to: Docc Co., P.O. Box 2293, Stuart, FL. 34995.
M&M, continued
Here are the alternate handlings:
If he pantomimes handing you the non-red, pretend to pop it in
your mouth and ask, Are these plain or peanut M&Ms? Plain? So
your final, unconsumed candy is a red, plain M&M?
Should the first two candies imaginarily selected not include the
red one, proceed as follows: Even though theyre different colors,
they should be equally delicious; go ahead and savor their taste.
Before you eat the rest of them, would you share one with me? If
its red say, While youre finishing the last two, answer one more
question: are these plain or peanut M&Ms?
If you were told it was non-red, eat it and then say, That was
tasty. Of the two remaining, red and (for example) brown, one is
plain and one is peanut. Which is which? And which one do you
prefer? Should he indicate, by either filling or color, the non-red
one, then say, By all means, go ahead and eat your favorite.
However, if he indicates the red candy, then say, Well, keep your
finger on it, because Id like another. And eat the non-red candy.
Wise Words:
In every show, make at
least one participant
psychic.
Norm Van Tubergen
Volume 2, Number 17
Allen Zingg
Issue # 35
The Shape of Things

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
As the Mentalist sketches different symbols

on the backs of five business cards, he
comments, Anthropologist Angeles Arrien, in
her book Signs of Life, suggests that there are
five universal shapes found across all cultures
and eras.
He places the five cards, symbol side up, in
front of the participant.
In addition, informs the performer, the
author notes that peoples preferences for these
shapes is reflective of their current inner,
subjective states. I have a copy of those
interpretations here.
He produces a folded card, opens it to make a
private notation on the inside, and places it face
down to one side.
Well refer to that information later, but
first, please arrange the five symbols in your
order of preference, from your left to your right.
The participant does so.
Looking at the newly ordered row of symbols
between the him and the participant, and after
he confirms the order of preference, the
Mentalist picks up the printed card and delivers
an accurate interpretation of the participants
personality and mindset. Then he says, I had a
hunch about you, and Ive learned to follow those
hunches. Youll recall that before you
rearranged the symbols, I made some notations on this prompter
card? I think youll find them interesting.
Marked on the card is the exact order of the participants
symbol preferences.
Both a reading method and a
mental effect, this should be in every
Use Allens
Mentalists repertoire. The notations
references to the
on the prompter card, which is
book
and author to
reproduced on the following page for
lend credibility to
you to photocopy and utilize, are
this
very compelling
simply tic marks made with a nail
reading method.
writer which matches the pen with
which you draw the symbols. But as
in psychometry, its the reading which offers the one-on-one
entertainment.
The notations simply validate the reading.
Please turn to, SHAPE OF THINGS, page 166
165
Where You Think You Are. This position signals the process that has
your attention. It does not indicate where you actually are right
now; it shows only where you think you are or want to be.
Your Strengths. This is an inherent strength in you at this time,
whether you know it or not. You demonstrate this strength to
others without effort. The shape at this position indicates areas
of your nature that are currently strong and resourceful.
Where You Are. This is the most significant choice, showing
your true current growth process; what's really going on. It
indicates where your gifts can be used most advantageously.
Your Motivation. This position points to past challenges,
tests, and circumstances that have motivated your
current process of change. It shows where you have been
and gives an indication of why you are attending to the
work that the shape in position 3 indicates.
Unfinished Business. This position identifies a process
you have outgrown or one that you dislike, still
resist, or are judging. It relates to unresolved issues
you may wish to put aside but to which you will most
likely return and reclaim or reintegrate later.
5 Circle: Unity. You engage in a search for wholeness and

aspire to independence and uniqueness. You need room
and avoid situations which restrict you.
5 Triangle: Goals. You have an innate sense of vision and
are intensely focused on identifying and pursuing a goal.
Your greatest need is to follow your dreams; your worst
fear is having none to pursue.
5 Cross: Relationships. This represents a coupling,
integrating, and balancing process. You have a strong
need for connection to a person, group, or project. You
seek supportive relationships while fearing abandonment,
loss, and isolation.
5 Square: Stability. You are ready to implement a plan
and manifest ideas and have a strong need for consistency,
accountability, and completion. You want results and fear
than nothing will be accomplished, wasting your time.
5 Spiral: Growth. Coming to the same point again and
again but at different levels so that things are viewed in a
new light. You gain new perspectives and exhibit a desire
for variety. Very creative, you often initiate projects but
have difficulty on follow-through. You fear the routine.
166
This is camera ready

art for your printer.
The top two panels
are folded inside the
card; the bottom
panel is the cover.
John Riggs
Tarot Telepathy 2000
This piece was taken

from Johns seventh
book, The Even
Compleater FortuneTeller.
The beautiful female

sensitive sits, blindfolded, in a
chair placed at center stage.
Her partner reaches into a
bowl of folded papers, opens one,
and reads aloud only the name of
the person who wrote the
question thereon.
Hesitating only a brief
moment, the lovely medium
proceeds to deliver an extremely
accurate reading to the questioner and concludes by
answering the question. At no time does her partner say
anything other than the persons name.
Required reading for all Mentalists is the book, The Mental
Mysteries and other Writings of William Larsen, Sr. In it, there is
a chapter entitled Tarot Telepathy in which the approximate age
and gender of an audience participant are encoded and verbally
transmitted to the blindfolded medium. Simply by prefixing the
term lady or gentleman with a nice... or a very nice... you
encode middle age or old age. No modifier added means the
questioner is a young adult. This allows for a reading, specific to
that age group and gender, to be delivered and is the first of two
methods used by John and his partner in this presentation.
John has discovered that almost all questions fall into a few
known categories such as Love, Health, Career, Travel, Money,
and Happiness. If the subject matter is known, a generic answer
can be delivered which, given the circumstances, is quite stunning.
The illustration tells everything you need to know.
Even though she is blindfolded, the medium can still see well
enough to discern her partners hand as he holds the question card.
Each corner of the opened question card is designated to
represent two general topics. The partner holds the card by the
appropriate corner to transmit the subject, one finger representing
the first subject and two fingers denoting the second.
Please note that there is a corner bearing the designations
pass and gag. This corner cues the medium when a trick
question is encountered or when an extremely sensitive topic has
been addressed.
Likewise, three or four fingers holding the paper can be visual
cues for hot or cold when the answer is being delivered.
Editors Note: For a full review of Larsens presentation and
access to some wonderful readings, refer to the book. If you need a
copy, call GENII Magazine at 213 935-2848 or write to P.O. Box
36068, Los Angeles, CA, 90036. Its the best $35.00 youll spend.
167

What a weekend! Just returned from the Psychic Entertainers
Associations Meeting Of The Minds, this time in Valley Forge, PA.
The strongest memories are of performances - Bob Cassidy
introduced a new term and style to the art: Jazz Mentalism; Tim
Conover showed why he will never be successfully imitated, no
matter how they might try; Anton Zellmans out-of-venue
infotainment flowed silky smooth; Pascal du Clairmont was
so...so...French!; John Riggs redefined the term Southern
Wise Words:
Gentleman; and Ken Weber, professionally (and pricelessly)
dissected the Friday night show.
Fan the flames, dont
Lecturers left their marks, too, Joe Marino first among them. flame the fans.
His presentation was first class; a shame he had to compress a
half-day event into just 90 minutes.
Marcello Truzzi
In a late night workshop which ran over into the early hours
Satori revealed some fabulous muscle reading techniques.
A treasures been unearthed in Charlie Buckner, who has the
inside stuff on Dunninger.
Only bits & pieces of the remaining events come to mind - my
fault, not theirs. Too many friends, too little time.
Bill Myers and his crew organized an excellent event.
No fair scooping Roy Miller on everything, so read about the
award winners and new officers in VIBRATIONS.
You can infer an unqualified recommendation when yours truly
actually buys something. This time its a series by Bob Cassidy
entitled Principia Mentalia - Elements of Mentalism. Subtitled
Fire, Earth, and Air, this trilogy (soon to be expanded by one with
the publication this August of Water), is $20.00 per book, each over
50 pages, 51/2 x 81/2 inches, saddle stapled. Order directly from Bob
at 2211 So. Star Lake Road 13-106, Federal Way, WA 98003.
John Riggs gets one more tip o the hat for his new book, The
Even Compleater Fortune-Teller. Eighty, 81/2 x 11 inch, comb
bound pages long, the book is an eye-opening delight to read.
Order from John at (423) 588-9598 or send $35.00 (plus $3.00 for
priority mail) to 1004 Craig Rd., Knoxville, KY 37919.
Subscription renewals are due now. If you dont want to miss
any issues, your renewal should be in the mail soon. Also,
remember to cast your vote for your favorite item from the past
years issues. Its from among the top vote-getters that the
material for next years SYZYGYs BEST! will be chosen.
Speaking of that, the 2-hour lecture video is now available. If
you missed the lecture and are interested to know how well this
material plays, youll want to get the video. Its $34.95 plus $3.00
postage to U.S. addresses. Add $5.00 postage to Canada. The PAL
version for all other countries is $39.95 plus $7.00 airmail postage.
By the way, if you would like to own a complete set of original
issues and began your subscription after the first year, youd better
act fast. Fewer than 30 complete sets remain. Volume One,
Complete (with the 3-ring collectors binder) is still $49.95.
168
Volume 2, Number 18
Banachek
Issue # 36
Mind Over Body

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Many years ago, begins the

Mentalist, Ripleys Believe It or Not
described a Buddhist priest who could
crack a human skull with the powers
of thought alone. How interesting!
We need a volunteer, continues
the performer, pausing for the
inevitable reaction, not for cranial
crunching, but for something much
more subtle. And I promise to
neither harm nor embarrass my
helper in any way. In fact, that
person will be able to manifest an amazing capability.
After selecting his participant and learning his name, the
Mentalist instructs, Hold your arms directly out in front of you.
Close your fists with your index fingers pointing straight ahead.
You follow instructions well! Bend your elbows so that your finger
tips now touch each other about six inches in front of your mouth.
Checking to see that the directions have been precisely
followed, the performer continues, Next, spread your elbows so
you separate your fingers by about two inches. Close your eyes so
you will not be visually influenced in any way. In order to achieve
success in this demonstration, you must allow yourself to become
intellectually inert; think of yourself as a spoon about to be bent or
as a book cover about to be levitated. In other words, put your
mind in neutral. The participant complies.
The audience and I will concentrate on your left hand and arm,
willing your finger to rise. If you are as receptive as I judge you to
be, your entire left arm will elevate. The performer addresses the
audience as he applies a light pressure under the participants left
arm for a moment, Think with me, rise...lighter...float... and send
those thoughts directly into Johns left arm. Begin.
As the audience concentrates with
him, the Mentalist says, We are now
Formerly known as
focusing on Johns left arm, seeing it
Steve Shaw,
in our minds as rising, getting higher.
Banachek is one of
We visualize it as clearly as if it were
the worlds most
happening. There it goes, higher and
active psychic
higher! John, open your eyes!
entertainers.
The participant will be awestruck
when he sees the distance his arm has risen.
How? Suggestion and ideomotor response. The presentation
sets up the participant for success. Touching his left arm as you
instruct is important since it avoids confusion and imparts its own
nonverbal message.
169
Peter Stammers
Einsteins Tarot
The Mentalist-Tarot Reader begins, The genius
physicist Albert Einstein interpreted space and time
as akin to a blanket, which could be folded to bring
distant points directly adjacent one another.
Likewise, the layout of Tarot cards during a
reading can be folded to bring otherwise invisible
associations into sharp focus.
Showing a small packet of Tarot cards, the
performer explains, Well use only these first
nine cards of the Major Arcana, just to keep
things simple. Although it may not be a perfect match, with which
of these nine do you most closely identify? The Moon? Make a
wish on it now.
The cards are given to the participant. Dont shuffle them,
thats for card games; instructs the Mentalist, gently mix the
nine cards, then cut them once and turn the packet face down.
Taking the cards and laying out 3 rows of 3 cards each, the
performer states, The three columns signify past, present, and
future; the three rows denote body, mind, and spirit. Since the
corner cards in the layout represent the cornerstones of your life,
well turn those face up for the initial interpretation.
The meaning of each of the four corner Tarot cards is explained,
in context, by the Mentalist.
Remember when I spoke of folding the universe? asks the
performer. Imagine these nine cards as if they were printed on a
pocket handkerchief; the spaces between the cards are the fold
lines. Fold the imaginary handkerchief, turning over either a row
or a column of three cards onto or under an adjacent set of three.
This adaptation of a
The participant does as instructed.
routine from Peter
Continuing, the Mentalist says, Its significant that you chose
Stammers book,
to fold your body row onto your mind row. That means an inner
A Mind of My Own
has a nice kicker
desire for unity of mind & body, something which has eluded you
for a Tarot reading.
for some time. Once again, fold the imaginary handkerchief.
When the fold is complete, the performer remarks, This time,
you combined past and present, indicating a healthy attitude
toward your personal history. Fold two more times; that will bring
all the cards into one packet. Cut that packet one time. If
necessary, turn the packet over so a face down card is on top. The
instructions are followed.
This assembly, reminds the Mentalist, corresponds to your
personal space-time continuum. Those Tarot cards which remain
face up represent realization of goals or implementation of ideals.
When the packet of nine cards is spread, the only face up card
is the wish card, in this case, The Moon!
Please turn to EINSTEIN, page 172
170
Ty Kralin
Whenever - Anywhere
Perform this piece

once and youll have
an impromptu
stunner in your
repertoire forever!
While attending a social event in a friends home, the Mentalist

is asked to demonstrate the minds unique abilities. He asks, Is
there a dictionary or other large book in the house that we might
use? The hostess brings a recent copy of a dictionary.
In order that we use words with no personal bias involved in
choosing them, as the pages are flipping past, will someone in the
audience will call out, stop? The Mentalist riffles the pages
slowly from the back toward the front of the dictionary and halts at
a page when he hears someone ask him to stop.
The index word on this page is xenophobic, remarks the
performer, showing the entry to a participant near the front, Is
that how its pronounced? Lets get a few more and when you hear
one which you can both understand and spell, keep it in your mind.
Do nothing to indicate which word might be your choice; well find
a dozen from which you might choose.
The Mentalist continues to riffle through the dictionary, giving
the index word on the page each time he is stopped, rejecting the
occasional word due to its length or definition. After ten or twelve
selections have been read, he says to the initial participant, From
among that group of words, you have one of them in mind, yes?
Handing his helper a pencil and pad, the performer asks,
Please print the word you are visualizing on the pad in block
capital letters. This will enhance your concentration. The
participant does as instructed while the performer looks away.
Concentrate, continues the Mentalist, not on the word as a
whole, but on the letters which make up the word. As I receive
your thoughts, letter by letter but probably not in order, please
cross off each letter that I correctly name.
The performer names a letter and the participant crosses it off
his list. Then another letter is called out, and another, and
another. Any Scrabble players in the group? asks the Mentalist.
Surely we can construct a word with those letters. Wait a minute,
is housework the word in your mind? The participant agrees!
All the words (except the first one) which you read from the
dictionary are miscalled, recited from a memorized list. Ty uses
the progressive anagram list from Sam Swartzs, The Hidden
Force book test. (Each time the participant doesnt cross off a
letter is the same as his saying, No.) Absent a similar source,
memorize a list of words with different third letters and pump for
those. To avoid mnemonics, build a bookmark crib, see left.
Time your riffling to ensure that you are initially stopped in the
very last pages of the dictionary. Asking for help with the word
shows that you are, indeed, stopping when requested and reading
the words from the index corner of the dictionary. Remember that
word, just in case your helper wants to be playful.
171

Some nits to pick - we often allow our presentations to become
diminished through the use of inappropriate, empty verbiage;
habitual phrases which send the wrong message to our audience.
Im going to ask you to... or Im going to have you... Dont tell
us what you are going to do. Wait until you need something done
and then give appropriate instructions. If you must alert someone
to future actions, use a phrase like, Erase all thoughts from your
mind, because you will soon have the opportunity to...
Heres another: I want you to hold the item in full view... or I
want you to stand over there... The audience doesnt care what you
want. Instead, say, Everyone must see the item, so hold it high...
One more: I need to use someone from the audience... Please
remember, we dont use people. How about, This process requires
an alert participant. You look attentive. Please stand up and tell
me your name.
Did you notice the common use of the personal pronoun, I in
each of the above examples? Enough said?
With this issue, Volume Two is complete. As was the case for
Volume One, Volume Two will be available in a SYZYGY 3-ring
Collectors Binder, for $49.95, plus shipping. By the way, there
remain fewer than 20 complete sets of Volume One, same price.
Marc Salem, the opening performer on the P.E.A.s Saturday
night tour de force last month, faxed to confirm that his unique
concept of post-show work will soon be featured in SYZYGY. When
this seasoned professional speaks, we should all listen.
EINSTEIN, continued
When you build the layout, the wish card must go in the
center spot, thus the cards are marked. After the cut, deal the top
card on the table. If it is the wish card, position the remaining
cards around it to form the 3 x 3 layout. If not, continue dealing.
If the second card is the wish card, place it next to the tabled
card and deal the following card to place the wish card in the
center of the row. Complete the layout by dealing the remaining
cards in rows above & below. If the second card is not the wish
card, deal it onto the table in a row with the first card, but leave
room between them for another card.
Should the third card be the wish card, place it between the
first two, otherwise it becomes the top card in the center column.
If the wish card shows up as either of the next two, its
placement in the center of the layout is logical as you fill in the
center column. If not, continue by dealing the remaining cards in
the corners. When the wish card comes up, place it in the center
as you move symmetrically across the layout.
When the participant folds the layout, offer suitable remarks
pertaining to past, present, & future; body, mind, & spirit.
172
Wise Words:
Gaffers tape - its a
toolkit on a roll!
Marc DeSouza
Lee Earle
Postcard
Promo

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
At the recent Psychic Entertainers

Association convention, it was my pleasure
to present a lecture on using desktop publishing in promoting ones
career. Following the lecture, a number of people asked for copies
of a postcard layout I used illustrate one promotion technique.
SYZYGYs subscribers will find those graphics useful, too.
On the following page are reproduced four different postcard
formats (printers call this 4-up). The graphics are positioned so
you can easily convert them into personalized camera-ready art.
The punched holes penetrate areas of all black, all white, or my
photo (which you will replace with your own halftoned photos).
Your print shop can copy and reduce your promotional photo to
fit, halftoning it (at 85 lines per inch) into tiny dots for mechanical
reproduction. Affix the new photo directly over the existing one.
The copy (text message) is arranged to allow easy overlay of
your own name, telephone number and message. The type is set in
an industry-wide standard font called Helvetica which will be very
easy for your printer to match. Avoid the temptation to use
additional type faces. Generally, more than two different fonts on
one layout can make it seem busy, hard to read, and muddied.
Just because you can put multiple fonts on a document doesnt
mean that its a good idea. Rather than use my sample copy
verbatim, your copy will be more effective when it is written with
your prospect and your product in mind.
If your computer database software permits, you can simplify
the addressing process by creating a layout which imprints the
address information onto the non-printed side of the 4-up
postcards. Cutting the cards apart after they are addressed saves
a lot of time which would be otherwise be spent in manually
affixing individual address labels.
With these cards, you can put your
A postcard is an
name under each prospects eyes four
efficient way to
times before they see the same
deliver a powerful
message repeated, something
message which
advertisers call multiple impressions.
doesnt have to be
Wise advertisers test their mailing
opened to be read.
pieces to determine which of several
different formats or approaches works best. If you have a sizable
list, more than 1,000 names, mail cards to ten percent of your list,
recording which card or message goes to each address. The
variation which generates the best response is the one you send to
the remaining prospects on your list.
Please turn to POSTCARDS, page 180
173
For information regarding

this unique presentation, call
(602) 247-7323
Its possible that Lee Earle

will change your mind!
Everyone in the audience

will energize a sixth sense
to read minds & perceive
unspoken thoughts.
shows how to use the other

90% of your brain, in a fresh
& funny program.
Lee Earle
Assure the success of your

upcoming holiday event!

(602) 247-7323


unspoken thoughts.

& funny program.
Lee Earle

Please forward to your events planner.


(602) 247-7323


unspoken thoughts.

& funny program.
Lee Earle


(602) 247-7323


unspoken thoughts.

& funny program.
Lee Earle


POSTCARDS, continued
Heres another labor-saving tip: As long as youre running those
4-ups through your computers printer to put the addresses on the
cards, you have a wonderful opportunity to use the left half of the
card for an additional, personalized sales message.
Of course, you can vary this message as well, to test the pull of
different appeals. Be careful. Dont mail more than one set of
variables at a time; four messages or four layouts - not both.
When you print your sales copy on the address side of the card, a
serif font such as Palatino, New Century Schoolbook (used to set
this text), or Bookman makes the information easier to read.
Your mailings will give you the best return when you focus on
either clubs & associations or companies with more than 100
employees. Your local Chamber of Commerce or a commerical list
broker (found in the Yellow Pages under Mailing Lists) can supply
these lists. Be prepared to pay for the information you need, as
little as $40.00 per thousand names to as much as a dollar per
name, depending on the exclusivity of the list. You will also pay an
additional premium to have the list delivered on computer disk
instead in printed form. Its worth paying for; typing or scanning
thousands of listings into your computer is not fun.
A list broker can extract a list of prospects from his database
using an amazing varitey of qualifying criteria. Ask these
professionals for assistance whenever you can; they want you to be
a satisfied, return customer.
One thing which will not make you a welcome customer is
cheating your list broker. Depending on the price you pay, the list
provided by a broker may not be yours to use as you wish. If the
list is rented rather than sold, you may only be purchasing the
right to mail to the list one time. Ask before you pay.
How does the broker know if you try to squeeze in repeat
mailings or sell the list to someone else? The clever ones include
several entries in the mailing list which appear to be normal but
are really addresses which they monitor for arriving mail. The
really sneaky brokers encode your customer identity in those
dummy entries, hidden in the addressees department number for
instance. If you employ the list again, the broker gets multiple
copies of your mailing at each phony address, and youll get a new
invoice in your mail. Better to play it straight or pay the extra and
buy the list. Once you get a response from a listed prospect,
however, that name belongs to you.
Quite often, mailing lists come with telephone numbers as well.
Call each prospect and inquire as to whether the card was received,
addressed correctly, etc. It not only transforms you from a face on a
postcard into a personality with whom your prospect has spoken
but also gives you an additional sales opportunity and the chance to
establish a professional relationship.
Thats it. This material works. Now work it.
176
Volume 3, Number 1
Andy Leviss
Issue # 37
Deli Delight

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
America On Line - LeeE7
Internet - LeeE7@aol.com
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
In my younger days, begins the

Mentalist, when I had to work for a
living, one of my employers was a
convenience market chain. Its not the
most challenging occupation, so to keep
my mind active, I would play a game with
myself. Whenever a customer opened the
glass door where the ready-made
sandwiches were displayed, I would make
an instant guess about which type of
sandwich the customer would choose.
The funny thing is that, after a while, those
guesses became more and more accurate. Perhaps it
was a subconscious association between the fellow in the
Birkenstock sandals and his choice of the vegetarian special, or the
big guy in the rodeo hat and the barbecue beef on a bun which he
purchased.
Holding up a small paper sack, the performer informs, Ive
brought a sandwich with me today, straight from the corner
market. Lets find someone who is likely to enjoy this selection.
To a man near an aisle, the Mentalist says, Sir, what is your
occupation? Engineer? Im sure you are an excellent one, but you
dont fit the profile Im looking for. How about this gentleman what do you do for a living? Youre a carpenter? Thats better.
The refrigerated sandwiches are made with various kinds of
bread. Which would you prefer; white, wheat, rye, sourdough, or
whole grain? The participant announces his preference.
How about the contents? asks the performer, You have your
choice of roast beef, salami, tuna salad, egg salad, barbecue beef, or
assorted sprouts. Again, the participant names his choice.
Any lettuce, tomato, onion, or
watercress? the performer inquires.
The helper states his wishes.
This scenario was
The Mentalist goes on, You can
originally a howhave your sandwich with American
would-you-do-this?
cheese, Swiss cheese, or cheddar
e-mail challenge.
cheese. Does one of those sound
Turns out it plays
appetizing? One does.
very well. Try it.
Finally, the performer concludes,
what condiment or sauce would you
prefer: ketchup, mustard, pickles, mayonnaise, or BBQ sauce?
One is chosen by the audience participant.
Lets recap - you have selected tuna on rye, with lettuce and
Swiss cheese. And you want that with ketchup, correct?
Would you please step up to the microphone, take the
sandwich out of the bag, and tell us what kind of sandwich it is?
Please turn to SANDWICH, page 180
177
Eddie Burke
Number-voyance
Clairvoyance, instructs the Mentalist, is defined
as the power to see objects or events that cannot be
perceived by the physical senses. In laboratory
experiments, researchers will conceal objects or drawings in
sealed containers and then invite those being tested to record their
impressions of the contents.
While its impossible to achieve scientific perfection in an
entertainment venue, we can come close. Youll be amazed at what
we can accomplish when we combine our energies in the attempt.
The performer holds up a large manila envelope and states,
Inside this package is your target. Ill give you a hint; its a 3digit number and two of the digits are even numbers. For this
experiment, we use this set of nine round cardboard discs, each
bearing a different single digit number. The four inch diameter
discs are given to a front-row participant.
Would you please mix these number counters? Keep them
number side down so no one can peek. Thank you. Lets get more
folks involved. The Mentalist distributes the shuffled discs to two
more members of the audience. Each person gets three numbers.
Do all of you have an assortment of both odd and even
numbers? Good. Please do this, he says to the first helper, Use
your imagination to visualize the contents of this envelope. Then,
without showing your numbers to anyone else, from among them
pick the even number which stands out in your mind, hold on to it,
and give the others to me.
The second participant is asked to retain an odd digit and the
third is requested to withhold an even numbered disc.
The Mentalist pulls a sheet of posterboard from the envelope
Englands Eddie
bearing the number 498. Please reveal to the rest of the audience
Burke worked out
your digit choices. The participants hold up their discs bearing
this idea after
reading a Walter
the digits 4, 9, and 8!
Webb contribution in
This handling is a twist on an old 9-digit number force.
Magick.
Although the shuffle is honest, the distribution of the discs is not.
The discs numbered 2, 6, & 9 are exactly 4 inches across. The
discs bearing the numbers 5, 4, & 7 are slightly larger in diameter;
the remaining discs are slightly less than 4 inches across.
The differing diameters make the discs into a stripper deck.
After the shuffle, you simply appear to be giving the stack of discs
a cut. In fact, your fingers grip the stack of discs by their opposite
edges and strip the three larger diameter discs out, giving them to
the first helper. A second stripping delivers the proper three to the
second helper, with the remainder going to the third person.
All that remains is to ask for digits in even-odd-even order.
Each participant has no choice; only one disc in each set satisfies
the even-odd-even criteria.
178
Doug Slater
Spiritual Attraction
Doug says that he

drew his inspiration
from a James
Delman piece,
Grave Decision.
Psychometry, states the Mentalist, is defined as, ...the

ability or art of divining information about people or events
associated with an object solely by touching or being near to it. It
is an intuitive skill and can be easily demonstrated.
He opens a small jewelry box and takes out three rings; one
with a cameo, a second with a yellow stone, and another with a
cluster of pearls. All of the pieces appear to be old, perhaps
antique. The final item taken from the jewelry box is a manila
coin envelope from which is removed a photo of an elderly woman.
My great aunt Hazel owned one of these items and wore it
almost every day. This is her photo; the performer chuckles,
when she divorced Edgar she snipped off his side of the snapshot.
Pick up the rings, one at a time, instructs the Mentalist, and
hold each of them over the photo. Sense what your intuition tells
you. Perhaps youll imagine one ring getting heavy, or warm. Or
your intuition might sound a little bell in your inner mind. If one
ring seems to be drawn to the photo, place it near the photograph.
After holding each of the rings, the participant places one - the
cluster of pearls - next to the photograph on the table.
Amazing, remarks the performer, it seems to happen every
time. Here, see what I mean... He opens the manila
envelope and dumps out onto the table the other half of
the photo. When the halves are matched together, the
ring on Hazels hand is the one with the clustered pearls!
The hardest part is finding an elderly couple to pose
for the photos. After youve obtained three antique
looking rings, put your camera on a tripod and arrange
your models into a pose which shows her hand to good
advantage. Take several photos, one with each ring on her
hand, moving her hand as little as possible.
When the photos are developed, cut one of them in half,
right down the middle between the two people. Use the
womans half of the photo as a guide for trimming the other
two so her hand lines up with her arm in every shot. Then
trim each assembled combination to the same size.
Using a Larry Becker idea, cut two other manila envelopes
to make panels which will fit into the third one, dividing it into
three compartments. The first panel is about 1/4" shorter than the
length of the envelope and the second one is 1/2" shorter. Thus you
can insert your fingers into the envelope and easily direct them
into the appropriate compartment containing the photo half which
matches the participants choice.
Squeeze the envelope by the sides to keep it open to the
compartment you wish and empty the contents onto the table. The
photos in the other compartments remain trapped in the envelope.
179

Yes, I now know that QS#8 bears incorrect page numbers.
Wise Words were harvested at the recent P.E.A. conclave. Each
respondant was asked, What single piece of advice would you give
to an emerging performer? Your words of wisdom are welcome, too!
John Gardner was surprised following his recent major
surgery with the view in his bathroom mirror, claiming, I look as if
Ive been autopsied! Hes back at the typewriter, prognosis:
excellent! John thanks everyone for the good thoughts & prayers.
Received a nice press release from Harrison Smith, featuring
updates on his E.S.P. and Hypnotism shows. Hes doing a good job
(and good business) keeping in touch with clients and prospects.
David Winston writes, The QS#8 postcard supplement is so
nice. For the sales impaired its an easy way to get started with
very little effort and expense. For the sales enhanced its a great
addition to their marketing efforts. I always write Call for a free
reading and then do a Meet and Mindread for the entire office
staff. Im still pitching David to contribute a supplement on
marketing and promotion. Hes one of the best.
I need back issues of M-U-M: 9/93, 2/94 through 11/94, 1/95, &
2/95. Please get in touch if you can part with your copies.
Wise Words:
Arrive an hour
early and
reconfirm all
details.
Bill Tadlock
SANDWICH, continued
He says, Tuna on rye with lettuce and Swiss cheese.
Wait a moment, the performer adds, you didnt say anything
about the condiment. It was ketchup, wasnt it? Look in the bag.
He pulls out a single serving packet of ketchup!
Buy a convenience store sandwich which is packaged in one of
those triangular plastic containers with the clear plastic panel
which allows the customer to see the food inside. Replace the
sandwich with something of similar weight & bulk and cover the
opening with a piece of mirrored mylar plastic (trimmed from a
potato chip bag, the inside of which is the silvery mylar) so the
sandwich can no longer be seen.
Then attach a label printed as per the example in the
illustration. It is sized to fit the Avery 5163, 2 x 4 inch label format.
All it takes is a swami gimmick (boldly employed as you display
the packaged sandwich before dropping it back into the bag bearing
the convenience markets logo) to check off or circle the participants
choices on the sandwich label. The condiment packets are bodyindexed (mayo in your left trouser pocket, mustard in your right
trouser pocket, etc.) so you can covertly withdraw the appropriate
condiment hidden in your hand to deposit in the sack.
Rather than sending the participant back to his seat with the
now unrefrigerated sandwich, give him an envelope containing
gift certificates (two one-dollar bills) good at any participating
convenience market for the sandwich of his choice.
180
Roast Beef
Tuna Salad
Egg Salad
BBQ
Veggie
Salami
White
Wheat
Rye
Sourdough
Whole Grain
Lettuce
Tomato
Onion
Watercress
American Cheddar
Swiss
Volume 3, Number 2
Terry Parrett
Issue # 38
Boris and Natasha

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
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Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
Did you know, questions the

Mentalist, that the former Soviet
Unions intelligence agency, the
KGB, recruited psychics in an
attempt to locate secret
installations in the United States?
They were the worlds second
largest employer of psychics
after Dionne Warwick.
The performer continues, I read about one of
their training exercises which is very easy to duplicate. Want
to try? Good! He takes two business cards out of his wallet and
draws on their backs identical (more or less) outlines of the United
States and hands one of them to the participant.
First, Ill indicate my secret bases coordinates on this map,
informs the Mentalist. Dont peek while I mark its location.
When the participant closes his eyes or averts his gaze, the
performer writes on the map side of his card, turns the card to the
vertical and writes something across the end of the card then
crosses it out and rewrites a word on the other end of the card.
Then he places the card map-side down on the table.
Handing the pencil to the participant the performer remarks,
This is the very same instrument with which I recorded my
clandestine site. Perhaps, in some odd space-time continuum
psychometry, it retains the information. Take it and allow it to
circle freely over your map. When you feel its impulse, lower the
pencil to the paper and make an X on the map.
When the participant has finished, the Mentalist retrieves the
tabled business card asking, By the way, would you rather be
Secret Agent Boris or Natasha ? Natasha? Did you consider the
other name a moment? I thought so.
Lets check your accuracy.
Terrys timely
The two cards are turned map-side
routine is a
up. The participants X is placed
presentation which
exactly on the location of the
converts your
performers secret base! And, as a
business card into a
kicker, the Secret Agent code name is memorable souvenir.
written on one end of the card with the
other choice crossed off!
Write the name Boris on one end of your card, pretend to
draw a line through it and then write Natasha on the other end.
Once you see the location marked by the participant on his card,
you can X your card in the same location using a nail writer,
swami gimmick, Boon writer, Scarab, etc. Ask for his agents
moniker and stroke out the other one on your card before you hand
it to him for comparison.
181
Lee Marelli
Penta-Preview
Sometimes, begins the Mentalist,
we get a preview of the future. It
usually happens in a dream and
becomes a deja vu experience. Other
times it comes as an intuitive insight.
Pulling a single business card out of
its plastic case, he continues, Ive just
had one of those flashes, so let me take a
moment to record my impression. He
draws something on his card, superimposed
on the crystal ball design in the corner. The card is then returned to
the plastic case.
In this case, the performer puns, I have perceived a
compelling image coming from someone at this table... Pointing
to one of the participants he states, ...and its your thought Ive
been receiving. Would you like to help me prove it? The
participant agrees to assist.
The Mentalist opens the business card case again and pulls a
Feel free to use the
crystal ball artwork
single business card into view, turning it face down on the table.
for your own
He takes his pen in hand and sketches five symbols on the back of
business cards.
the card: a circle, a plus sign, a triangle, a square, and a star.
Thats why it is
Ill give you a hint one of these symbols is the same as the
one I drew earlier, he claims, and my hunch is thats the one you reproduced full size.
will choose. Consider all the options and then put your finger on
one of them. The participant points to the star.
Thats amazing, says the performer. let me show you the
sketch I made earlier! He removes all the business cards from the
case and spreads them. Drawn on the one in the center of the
spread is a star!
The method makes this one simple to perform on a moments
notice. Four of the business cards are as shown in the illustration
above. The fifth card is specially constructed (or specially printed)
as in the illustration at the right. Both sides of the card are the
same, making it a diagonal 50-50 double faced card.
Draw one of the symbols in each of the four crystal balls on the
gimmicked card and place it in the center of the group of four
cards. When you remove the packet from the business card case,
spread the cards to reveal the drawing. If you hold the cards from
the other end when spreading, a second option appears. Turn the
packet over for the spreading and two more possibilities become
available.
The fifth symbol is drawn on the ungimmicked business card
which was returned to the case, the same one you pull out later
when you draw the five symbols for the participants choice. If the
symbol drawn on that card is selected, just turn the card over.
182
Alain Nu
Double Delight
Put that old Bendix

Bombshell wallet to
use in Alains clever
sneak-a-peek
routine.
Approaching a table of guests in the restaurant,

the Mentalist asks, Have all of you put your business
cards in the bowl near the receptionists station? One
name is drawn every month for a free dinner for four.
Several diners indicate in the negative.
Ill be happy to collect them from you now, offers
the performer, and Ill put them in the bowl myself.
As several people in the close-up audience open purses
or wallets to supply their business cards, he hands a pen
to someone who has a business card ready and asks,
Just for fun, would you draw or doodle something on the
back of your card? Keep your image secret from everyone.
Well mix the card drawing-side-down among the others.
When all the business cards have been gathered, the
Mentalist pulls out his wallet and unzips the money
compartment. He picks up the stack of business cards,
shuffles them a bit, and then inserts the entire stack in the
compartment which is then zipped shut.
A wallet looks pretty empty with no currency in it, continues
the performer, so would someone offer the loan of a nice, crisp dollar
bill for a few moments? One of the diners offers a dollar bill and the
Mentalist adds, Please keep the bill turned so that the picture is
facing the table. He takes it and places it on one side of the open
wallet and then folds the wallet closed.
The performer announces, Thanks. We can all agree that there
is no way anyone could know either the bills serial numbers or the
doodle on this gentlemans card. But, just for fun, lets try.
He reopens the wallet and withdraws one of his own business
cards. He says, sliding the bill onto the table, Look for yourself - its
impossible to view the number through the back side of the bill.
Taking pen and his own business card in hand, the Mentalist
asks the person who made the doodle to take the bill and look at the
serial number. Please read the serial number aloud, instructs the
performer, but for several of the digits, substitute your own. Sort of
like Liars Poker. The participant recites eight digits which the
performer writes on his business card.
I detected a pause before three of the digits and a tremor in your
voice for a fourth. You gave the serial number as B72849678W, but
in fact, only the 2, 4, 6, and the final 8 were truthful, yes? The
participant agrees. As I suspected, exclaims the Mentalist, Now
concentrate on the real numbers. He scribbles quickly on the card
and holds it so everyone at the table can see the writing and asks,
Read aloud the complete serial number. It matches the number
written on his business card!
Please turn to DOUBLE DELIGHT, page 184
183
Lee Earle at the Editors Desk

Although it wasnt planned to be, this issue has turned into a
Business Card special. If feedback indicates that subscribers like
themed issues, perhaps more can be assembled in the future.
Burt Sperber enclosed the personalized bookplate at the right
with a recent piece of correspondence. I think its marvelous.
We need a term to describe a participant chosen during the
performance who has neither been subjected to preshow work nor
tampered with in any other manner. Pristine? I dont think so.
Virgin and Clean both have a certain snicker quotient. An
untouched participant brings to mind Brahmans or Elliott Ness.
Larry Becker is releasing Thot Scan (the improved,
commercial version of No Brainer Q & A - see issue #10) for
$38.50, which includes shipping and handling. This classy effect
features reusable laminated question cards and includes nonsmear, easy erase pens to use with the presentation. Contact Larry
at (602) 488-0980 or write to: P.O. Box 6023, Carefree, AZ 85377.
If you have a World Wide Web browser for your computer and
extra time on your hands, you may find one web site interesting:
http://members.aol.com/LeeE7/LeeEarle.html.
DOUBLE DELIGHT, continued
Wait a moment, the Mentalist says, you also sketched on your
business card. What was it? When the participant replies, the
performer moves his fingers which were covering the corner of his
own card. Underneath them is a near-duplicate of that drawing!
Write the serial number from a not-quite-new dollar bill on one
of your business cards which is placed on top of the others in your
Bendix Bombshell wallet. Place the bill with its face toward the
wallets center panel, the one with the access slit in it. Close the
wallet and reopen the matching duplicate section when its time to
gather the audiences business cards.
When you mix the cards, shuffle the card bearing the drawing to
the bottom of the stack. The entire stack goes inside the unzipped
money compartment. The drawing (on the bottom business card
in the stack) goes face-to-face with the dollar bill already there.
Borrow a bill of the same denomination and appearance and
place it on the open wallet which is then closed. When you open the
wallet to get one of your business cards you access the side which
contains your bill. Remember, the bills serial number is pre-written
on the back of the top card. The bill will be laying directly on top of
the stack of their business cards you collected, as in the illustration.
Raise the wallet just a little as you slide the bill onto the table so
the audiences eyes dont see the stack of business cards beneath it.
Glimpse the drawing on the uppermost (formerly bottommost,
before the wallet turnover) business card as you close the wallet
and put it in your coat pocket.
184
Wise Words:
Mentalisms Four
Factors: Force it,
Fake it, Find it
out, or Fill it in.
Pasqual Perrino
Volume 3, Number 3
Lee Earle
Issue # 39
Dream Scheme

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
From the earliest times

to the present day,
whispers the
Mentalist, dreams
have been perceived as
messages from within.
Interpretation of dreams
is a question of decoding
the message so that it
makes sense.
It is possible to
condition yourself to remember, upon awakening, the experience
and images from your dreams. Its uncanny how accurate such
nocturnal premonitions can be.
The performer says, In fact, its fun to compare these
nighttime musings against later occurrences to link premonition
with fact. I asked my contact with your group, Mr. Bill Smith, to
write down, privately, some of his recent dream visions. He had
them notarized and sealed in a tamperproof envelope and has that
notarized statement with him tonight. Please welcome Mr. Smith.
As Mr. Smith steps on stage, the Mentalist remarks, You have
a sealed envelope and a book, both in your care since we first
talked, weeks ago. Is that correct? The participant agrees.
Please open the envelope and, for the first time, read aloud the
notes you made describing your dream images, instructs the
performer. The participant reads, Crowds - Water - Fire.
Those images, reminds the Mentalist, are the product of your
dreams, subject to interpretation. Lets look up what they mean.
The book entitled Interpret Your Dreams is opened to the index
and the page numbers for the three
images are noted.
This high technology
Opening the book to the indicated
routine may be
pages, the performer says, Please
beyond the reach for
follow along by reading silently over
many, but its
my shoulder as I read the information certainly within the
aloud. It says here that dreams
grasp of all.
involving crowds often represent the
establishment - government,
employers, or even family.
Your next dream image of water, he continues, turning the
page, symbolizes either dealing with a problem or washing ones
hands of a concern.
And finally, he says, opening the book to the third referenced
page fire represents energy, a vigorous solution to a problem.
Please turn to DREAM SCHEME, page 186
185
DREAM SCHEME, continued

The Mentalist, putting it all together, says, Lets see
government dealing with a problem a vigorous solution; lets
compare that to todays headlines. He holds up the front page
from the daily newspaper so all can see it. It reads, VOTERS
MAKE CLEAN SWEEP!
The Mentalist concludes, I guess thats close enough. You are
more psychic than you know! And he leads the applause.
The dream interpretation book is gimmicked. This presentation
requires that you have a computer, software, and laser printer
which can duplicate the text as typeset in the book. The book should
be a small one which is mostly text, as opposed to one with heavy
graphic content. The pages (and the index, if one is used) which
give your interpretation of the participants dream objects are
printed, on the same paper used in the book. On the day of the
show (after you read the daily headlines) you replace a similar
page or pages which you remove from the book.
You learn his dream images through the use of a Mentalists
clipboard, an impression device which makes a secret carbon copy
of whatever is written on a piece of paper clipped to its surface.
Arrange your first meeting at a notarys office and make sure
you arrive first. Thats when you place your clipboard at a spot in
the office where you can access it when you need it. Suggest that
your helper make a private notation of his dream images which he
should sign and date. The Notary Public official will stamp and
countersign the document which is then sealed in an envelope.
Hand the participant a copy of the dream book (take it out of a
bag bearing a popular bookstore logo) and a larger, self-sealing
mailing envelope in which to put both the book and the dream
image envelope. The real purpose of the mailing envelope is to
keep his hands off the notarized statement and the book. The
clipboards secret copy allows you to compose the appropriate
interpretation for the dream book.
During a preshow meeting ask your participant to tear open
the mailing envelope. I forgot, you say, handing him a pen, to
have you initial the inner envelope at the Notary office. While his
attention is on affixing his initials, take the dream book and
apparently put it into a fresh mailing envelope.
Actually, you switch the book for your duplicate with the
favorable pages. The second mailing envelope, which already
contains the gimmicked book, is laying in your open briefcase. You
pretend to put the first book into the mailer (actually it goes
behind the mailer) and then lift the mailer clear of your briefcase
and hand it to your participant. You can remark, You must be
able to verify that only you and the notary ever handled that
envelope, so please note that I have never so much as touched it.
A nice nuance is to have duplicate cash-register receipts (with
appropriate dates) stuck between the same pages of both books.
186
Dave Arch
Place Setting
Daves earlier
telephone script was
so well received that
a second helping is
warranted. Enjoy.
Often its not the important, life-or-death matters

which seem to be the subject of spontaneous telepathy,
informs the Mentalist. Sometimes the totally trivial is
what triggers thought transfer, perhaps because the
conscious mind is otherwise engaged. Ill show you
what I mean.
Clear a space in front of you and place, in a
horizontal row, a knife, a fork, and a spoon. You can
arrange them in any order. I wont look as you do it.
Please listen carefully to these brief instructions. They
are intended to occupy both your left and right brains,
allowing your midbrain, the subconscious, the freedom
to project its images.
Once the participant is ready to begin and has
the flatware laid out on the table in a row in front
of him, the performer continues, First, exchange
the spoon with the item on its right. If there is no
item on the spoons right, leave the spoon where it is. All you need
to do is to change the spoons position with the item on the spoons
right if something is there with which to exchange. The switch is
made by the participant.
Next, continues the Mentalist, exchange the knife with
whatever is directly to its left. Should there be no item on the knifes
left, please leave the knife where it is. If there is an item on the
knifes left, swap the two. He pauses while the exchange is made.
The performer goes on, For the final possible exchange, switch
the fork with the item on its right. Obviously, if there is nothing on
the forks right, nothing happens. Let me know when youve done
that. He pauses until the participant advises the work is done.
Now we start having fun. Pick up the item on the far left end of
the row and carefully sit on it, the Mentalist instructs. The
sharper of the two objects remaining on the table goes in your right
hand and the final object should be picked up in your left hand.
Please stare at the object in your left hand. Picture yourself
using it. Im receiving an image of you eating a bowl of breakfast
cereal. No one eats breakfast cereal with a knife or fork; so you must
be holding the spoon in your left hand. The participant agrees.
Shift your focus to your right hand. Can you see yourself using
that utensil? With the spoon out of the way, the choice should be
simple. Of course. Your right hand holds the fork!
That means you must surely be careful as you reach underneath
yourself and remove the knife. How did I know you were sitting on
the knife? asks the Mentalist. Its simple hindsight!
This one couldnt be simpler. Just repeat the instructions given
above for the same outcome.
187

Your 8 x 10 glossies wanted! A Quarterly Supplement on the
practical considerations of promotional photography is in the works
and I need your examples to show and write about. If you have a
promo photo featuring a well-known name from the past, Id love to
use that, too. All photos will be treated with tender, loving care and
(if you want them back) they will be returned promptly after theyre
scanned into the computer.
Havent seen it myself, but Mark Roberts, of Bag o Trix in
Carrolton, TX, describes his new Blown Away as a nice pocket
watch which will set itself to any time called for by a participant
without being touched by the performer (no ballpoint pen required).
He says its about four times as fast (and twice as visible) as a
wristwatch version currently available.
Look for The Informant a new item from Denny Laub to be
advertised soon. Ive seen a pre-release version and Im impressed
with Dennys thinking. Basically, its a utility item which allows
the performer to see whats written on a card inside an opaque
envelope; no chemicals, cuts, or windows, either.
The final selection of SYZYGYs BEST! for 1996-1997 has been
made and the material assembled for this years lecture tour. As
before, the subscribers nominated a superb field. Congratulations
to these very creative contributors. They are, in alphabetical order:
Dave Arch
Quintuple
Leo Boudreau
Picture Show
Ted Karmilovich
Earl Keyser
The IQ Test
Ty Kralin
Anywhere-Whenever
John Riggs
Dream Design
As you read this, the lecture is touring: New Zealand (Sept. 17 21), Australia (Sept. 22 - 28), and Hawaii (Sept. 28 & 29 - no, this
isnt a typo, the International Date Line is responsible for messing
up linear-temporal continuity).
Help me bring SYZYGYs BEST! to your area. Provide the
name and phone number of the appropriate person in your local
group which could sponsor the lecture and Ill take it from there.
Its more efficient for me to contact the key individuals directly (at
my long-distance phone expense) rather than the reverse.
Experience has shown that the good dates will fill up fast, so time is
of the essence. Call right away if you can help.
Mark Strivings recently showed me his Sight Unseen Case, a
simple but clever business card case which falls into the category of
utility item. It facilitates billet switches, peeks, nail-writing and
more. Manufactured by Roy Roth of England (the same fellow who
makes Larry Beckers leather goods), this top quality item is
something Ill use myself. It sells for $45.00 plus $3.00 postage.
Contact Mark at 520 774-0804 or write to: 3309 N. Grandview,
Flagstaff, AZ 86004.
188
Wise Words:
Learn to give
clear, concise
instructions or
take up juggling
instead!
Norm
VanTubergen
Volume 3, Number 4
Graham Kite
Issue # 40
Scents and Sense

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
One of the newest scientific

discoveries, sniffs the Mentalist, is
the impact of various aromas on the
mind and body. There is an entire
specialty called Aromatherapy
which claims that ones health
and well-being can be
affected by the scent of
certain essential oils.
Placing a small velvetcovered box in the table,
he continues, Perfumers
contend that exotic blends of
essences, oils, and fragrances
bypass the logical brain and directly
affect the emotions. Only recently
have experiments shown that there is
some validity to those statements. A preference for one scent over
another is deeply rooted in the human psyche.
Opening the jewelry box, the Mentalist explains, In earlier
times it was the fashion of young ladies to wear a pendant made
from a glass vial on a necklace, keeping the essential oils at body
temperature and ready for instant application. One such container
is threaded on this gold chain. He tips the box and a portion of the
golden chain spills over the edge of the box.
Turning to an attractive young woman at the table, the
Mentalist says, The five most recognized aroma-oils are citrus,
cinnamon, mint, vanilla, and lavender. Please recall from your
memories an experience which had an emotional impact on your
life. No one else will learn of your
choice; it will remain entirely private
Graham is not only
and within your mind, so you are free
one of Australias
to recall something pleasant, peaceful,
new crop of
exciting, or perhaps even erotic. Tell Mentalists, he is also
us which of those five scents you most
a ballroom dancer
closely associate with that event.
and a jeweler.
The woman replies, Cinnamon.
Interesting, replies the
performer. He grasps the loop of chain dangling from the box and
lifts it clear, elevating the attached vial for all to see. Please open
the container and sniff it. Then tell the rest of us what aroma you
detect.
She does as instructed, smiles, and exclaims, Cinnamon!
Please turn to SCENTS, page 192
189
Grocki
Safely Sealed
To quote Groucho Marx, offers the Mentalist,
Outside of a dog, a book is mans best friend.
Inside of a dog its too dark to read! Three members
of the audience were earlier given current bestselling books
and large manila envelopes. Would they please stand?
The participants arise, each holding a large sealed
envelope. The three of you were asked to find a challenging
word from any page in the books you hold, states the performer,
and once you marked your choice, you sealed your book in those
envelopes. Correct? All three agree. Will you confirm that this
process took place while you were apart from everyone and that
nothing was ever written down? Each participant agrees.
Please pass the packages forward, instructs the Mentalist, so
I can write something on the envelopes. Once the three manila
envelopes are gathered on stage, the performer gazes at each
standing participant and then writes a word on an envelope using a
broad-tip marking pen. The audience cannot see what is written.
The Mentalist says, Three words which come to mind are
parallel, constructive, and refrigerator. Are those your words?
Each participant shakes his head, indicating a complete miss.
Then perhaps each of you can tell us the word in your mind,
suggests the performer. Fissionable, says the first helper.
Categorizing, informs the second. Insurance, remarks the third.
Thats what I thought, smiles the Mentalist as he turns around
the envelopes to reveal the word he has written on each one. The
This routine evolved
words are: fissionable, categorizing, and insurance! He hands the
from a technique
envelopes back to the participants and says, Please accept the
Grocki uses with
books as my thanks for your participation.
gimmicked
books
Obtain two copies each of three current paperback novels. The
such as Flashback.
second copy of each pair is for backstage reference.
The gimmick involved is that silicone novelty toy contained in a
plastic egg, Silly Putty. It has the marvelous property of lifting ink
from the printed page when pressed into contact. Because it is
(more or less) flesh colored, a small patch of it on the pad of your
middle finger is invisible until employed.
In working with your preshow participant, pick up a paperback
book, clearly & openly turn your head aside, and riffle the pages
until your participant says, Stop. Ask him to pick the longest and
most challenging word on the top line, indicating the top of the page
by placing your middle fingertip there, directly on top of the page
number. Instruct him to take the book, dog-ear the corner of the
page, circle the word, and then seal the book in the envelope (which
has been pencil dotted for identification later).
Backstage, you read the mirrored page number impression on
your finger and refer to your copy of his book for the right word.
190
Joseph White
By the Numbers
Josephs original
contribution was
modified with an
idea from Tim
Conover.
Gambling, decrees the Mentalist, is often a pastime which

separates the optimists from the mathematicians. Take a lottery,
for example. The odds against any particular individual winning
the jackpot are astronomical.
Addressing a front-row member of the audience, the performer
says, Your chances are much higher here, because rather than
guess in advance each individual number, you only have to try for a
total. But lets keep it in a countable range, otherwise our audience
will lose patience with us. Please tell us your name and then say
aloud a number between 100 and 200. The participant responds
with, My name is Larry and I pick 137.
Performer takes from his case a small opaque plastic bowl and a
clear plastic package of round key tags, each about the size of a
poker chip. One and two digit numbers are written on one or both
sides of each chip. Reach in and take a numbered tag, instructs
the performer, and drop it in the bowl. While youre at it, take
another. And another.
After a few more numbered tags have been dropped in the bowl,
the Mentalist asks, Larry, have you any idea how many tags
youve taken? No? I assume you also have no clue as to the total of
the numbers on the tags? Neither do I. Spread out the bowl full of
tags on the table. Well add up their numbers, then well turn them
over and continue with the numbers on their other sides.
Speaking to the audience, the performer says, Well keep a
running total as Larry calls out all the numbers he selected.
The participant reads aloud the number showing on each
tag, then turns all of the tags over and gives the numbers
from the opposite sides of the discs. The final total is Larrys
target number, 137!
Enabling Larrys fantastic feat requires a gimmicked plastic
bag with a clear panel which divides the bag into two separate
compartments. The tags in one side of the bag have numbers on
both sides which total 25 (i.e.: 2 & 23, 17 & 8, 25 and blank, etc.).
Those tags in the other compartment bear digits which will add up
to 10 (i.e.: 3 & 7, 10 & blank, etc.).
Larry takes the tags from the 25 compartment while you
maintain a mental tally, 25 - 50 - 75- 100 - 125. If the next 25
tag would push the sum beyond the desired total, the remaining
tags are taken from the 10 side, in this example one more tag
brings your mental total to 135 (125 + 10 = 135).
When you go into your case for the bowl and bag of tags, you do
the same arithmetic and take, from a foam rubber index of 9 tags,
the one which will bring the total to the desired number, in this
case, 2. It is held against the inside of the bowl, hidden with your
fingers, until there are enough tags in the bowl to provide cover.
191

There remained among us for a while one dwindling connection
to the vanished inner circle of Dai Vernon, Charlie Miller,
Faucett Ross, Paul Fox, and other greats of that golden era. And
now there are none; Danny Dew died last September 25. His
grace, humor, and charm made him a person everyone loved.
Danny was the embodiment of a Southern Gentleman and the only
truly humble man Ive ever known. He will be missed. The winter
sky has dimmed by yet one more star.
Something new will be added to the menu at lecture stops for
SYZYGYs BEST! Individuals who are seriously interested in
advancing their skills to the next level can arrange personal and/or
group coaching sessions with yours truly. Topics include, but are
not limited to: performance technique, marketing, routining,
staging, structuring, graphic design, or promotion. While not
inexpensive, this personal, one-on-one mentoring will be an
investment which pays dividends over the long term. Details on
SYZYGYs World Wide Web site http://users.aol.com/LeeE7/.
Scheduled lecture dates are: Nov. 6th, Phoenix, AZ (Bob Bluemle
602 947-6765); Nov. 7th, Washington DC (Barry Taylor, 301 9493881); and Nov. 8th, Louisville, KY (Earl Bullard 502 895-7286).
My New Zealand lecture tour coordinator, Alan Watson, shared
a delightful idea with me during the drive from the airport to his
home in the suburbs. Remember the old Out of This World card
trick? When done with a Tarot pack (minor Arcana) it has an
impact totally out of proportion to its method. Give it a try.
Hollywoods Diego Domingo and Allen B. Brannum have
been buying and collecting Robert Nelson originals for quite some
time and are compiling material for a book on that most enigmatic
of personalities. If you have personal anecdotes, stories, or just
reminiscences of the Columbus, Ohio master Mentalist &
merchandiser, of Nelson Enterprises, or of his wife Betty, contact
Allen and tell him about it at (213) 965-7858.
SCENTS, continued
The beautiful thing about this presentation is that the lady does,
indeed, have a completely free choice among the five scents. The
vial shown is permanently affixed to the boxs display panel, its
short chain is secured behind the panel.
Five other vials are concealed within the box, behind the display
panel, all threaded on the golden necklace chain with a loop made
of thin jewelers wire closed with a single twist. When you pull the
chain out of the box, finger pressure on the thin bottom of the box
retains four of the five hidden vials behind the display, allowing the
chain to be pulled free of their wire loops. The vial containing the
selected aroma is lifted free and presented as a gift to the lady.
192
Wise Words:
Routining is easy;
just put a bunch
of stuff together
and perform it.
Your audience
will tell you
which items to
keep in the act.
Danny Dew
Volume 3, Number 5
Mark Garetz
Issue # 41
Cold Readers

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
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602 / 247-7323 voice
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The ancient Tarot cards, informs

the Mentalist, were used by
medieval gypsies who depended
upon the Tarots mystic symbols
to help them interpret fortune,
fate, and future.
Our common playing cards
are direct descendants of that arcane
Tarot deck. Many people who are not
otherwise superstitious feel that some of those magical properties
are still associated with all cards. The performer pauses, then
asks, How would you feel if one day you found the Ace of Spades
slipped under your front door?
In fact, continues the Mentalist, certain cards do seem to
have an affinity for particular personality types. Or perhaps its
the other way around. Are you game for a simple experiment?
Take these modern playing cards, offers the performer, and
thumb through them until one of them feels right to you. It helps
if you dont search for a particular suit or value; let the card select
you, as it were. When youve located your pasteboard counterpart,
place the others aside and put your selection on the table with your
hand touching it. Theres no need to reveal it just yet.
As the participant is looking through the deck, the Mentalist
goes on, Already, I sense that your affinity card will indicate that
this is a time of change for you that circumstances have forced
you to modify plans. You still hold on to your dream but sometimes
feel frustrated that fate keeps putting obstacles in your way...
The participant has, by now, found the one card and has placed
her hand over it. The performer lightly places his hand over hers
and says, In fact, those impediments
are solidifying in you a strong resolve
As simple as the
to persevere. Its likely that you will
method is, this
be drawn to a red card. The fact that
presentation is one
you are becoming more emotionally
which
connects with
assertive lately I can hear you
saying to yourself, Im not going to be your participant on
a primal level.
anyones doormat any longer shades
your personality more toward the
hard diamond as opposed to the soft heart. You need fewer
complications in your life right now which would draw you to a two
or a three. What card did you select as your cardboard companion?
She turns over the card to reveal the Three of Diamonds!
The modus operandi is a marked deck. Combine well-timed cold
reading lines with your participants selection of a card and it
seems that your comments predict rather than react to her choice.
193
T.J. Osborne
Dowsing Duplicates
Dowsing is an ancient practice in which one seeks hidden
objects or information using the principle that like attracts like,
mentions the Mentalist. The usual image which comes to mind is
searching for underground water using a forked sapling branch.
The performer collects six business cards (all printed on plain,
white stock) from those around the table. He tears the face-down
stack in half and mixes the twelve pieces before dealing them on
the table in three rows of four pieces each.
Remember the childrens pastime with a pack of cards,
Concentration? The object is to look at one of the pieces and then
guess which of the others makes a match. If you pick correctly you
may choose again but if turning over two pieces results in no match,
you turn them face down and your opponent gets a turn. The trick
is to memorize the positions of the unsuccessful guesses so that you
can make the matches when its your turn again.
Dowsing often has the uncanny capability of locating the
matching pairs but we often ignore these techniques out of
skepticism. If you will let me interpret your dowsing response, I
think well make a believer out of you. Pick up any one of the cardhalves, look at it, and hold it in your closed hand. Good. Extend
the first finger of that hand to serve as a pointer. Ill hold your
wrist lightly as you move your pointer over the rows of pieces
remaining and let you know when I sense that particular response.
The participant, with the Mentalist lightly touching the
extended fingers wrist, moves his finger over the card pieces on the
table. Over one of the pieces the performer says, Stop! Pick up
this one and conceal it in your hand with the other piece. Lets run
the same procedure with another person. The process is repeated
four times until only one pair of pieces is remaining on the table.
The performer turns them over to show that they match!
Each of you open your hands and check your results, instructs
the performer. All five pairs of pieces also match!
When you tear the cards in half, place one set of torn pieces atop
the other, making a twelve-piece packet. Your shuffle pulls three
pieces, one at a time, from the top of the packet into your other
hand, each successive piece going on top of the one just pulled off
(exactly like running 3 single cards in an overhand shuffle). Place
the entire remaining packet on top of those three pieces. Repeat
the procedure with two pieces (run 2), drop the packet on top of
them and then deal three rows of four pieces each. The pieces will
now be in an order identified by the mnemonic at the right.
Each letter represents the piece at that position. The piece in
column one of the first row (S) will be the mate of the one in the
second row, third column, etc. After your participant picks up a
piece, stop his finger at the position which matches his choice.
194
T.J. acknowledges
the influence of
ideas by T.A. Waters
and Phil Goldstein
on this routine.
SPOT
NEST
OPEN
Danny Archer
Do Not Pass Go!
Danny is the owner

of the Magicians
Lecture Network, a
booking agency for
lecturers.
Placing a small, cloth drawstring pouch on the table, the

Mentalist says to one of those around the table, Remember playing
the Monopoly game? This bag contains the house & hotel tokens.
Please reach inside and remove some of each, then count your
properties beneath the table by touch. The participant complies.
Youll need a piece of real estate upon which to place them,
continues the performer. He fetches from his case a small box
containing a sealed envelope, four individual players game tokens,
and a pack of Monopoly property cards (deeds). Slipping the
rubber band from around the stack of cards and thumbing through
them, he comments on their relative values, and then squares the
packet requesting, Cut the pack to select your property. The
participant cuts to a card near the center of the pack and takes it.
The Mentalist instructs, Refer to the rental schedule on your
deed and arrange your assets so that you can collect the maximum
amount of rent. You can put up to four houses or four hotels on
your acreage; zoning laws dont allow mixed usage, so place any
leftovers back in the pouch. He does so.
Emptying the box containing the four players tokens onto the
table the performer adds, There are only two of us playing, so grab
a couple...and return them to the box. Pick up the remaining two,
one in each fist. Actually, only one of us needs a token, so open one
hand...and drop that one back into the box.
Lets recap: You chose one deed out of the dozens available,
picked a random number of houses and hotels to set the amount of
rent you can charge, and even selected the top hat token I would
use to move onto your property. As for the rent he picks up the
card and reads the side of the card with the rent prices, ...lets
see...Marvin Gardens...two hotels...the rent is $625!
The performer asks the participant to open the envelope and
read the note inside. It says, I have the uneasy premonition that
my top hat will land on one of the yellow properties, and will be
assessed a very high rent. Ive enclosed the proper amount in the
appropriate currency. He counts $625 in Monopoly cash!
Once you purchase the Monopoly game, place four hotels and
eight houses in the pouch; your instructions guarantee that he
takes at least one hotel. While he is counting his hotels & houses
under the table, place your palm on the bag to push it aside. The
hotels, which are larger, can be felt and counted through the cloth.
When you get the box of cards & tokens, you also add one of four
envelopes with identical predictions inside. The first envelope
contains Monopoly money for Marvin Gardens rental with one
hotel, the second envelope contains the rental with two hotels, etc.
The deed card is forced (i.e: crosscut); the participant is steered
to the proper playing piece via equivoque.
195

High demand has made the previously out-of-print King of the
Cold Readers by Herb Dewey and Bascom Jones available once
again. Its a cold reading classic and one leg of the trilogy (Red Hot
Cold Reading and Psycho Babble are the other two) which should be
on every Mentalists bookshelf. Order your copy for $45.00 plus
postage from Herb at 304 Unity Lane, Annapolis, MD, 21401.
Subscriber Craig Bender-Rovinsky advises that if youve ever
wanted to work one of those 1-900 psychic telephone lines, this may
be your opportunity. He tells me that Steven Logan is recruiting
personnel for one of the major national lines and can be contacted
for an telephone tryout at 409 245-3764.
Lee Marelli (of metropolitan Denver, CO) writes to inform that
he, Allan Few, and other unindicted co-conspirators have formed
the Rocky Mountain Mentalism and Bizarre Magic Association. I
can only hope that they choose a more memory-friendly moniker as
they join The Thirteen, The Six and One-Half, The Elders, and The
Minnesota Mind Psi, all local groups promoting Mentalism. Any
others out there?
At the Psychic Entertainers Associations convention last
summer, historian Charles Buckner gave a presentation
featuring little-known facts & tidbits about Joseph Dunninger.
Since then, he has compiled photocopies of all the materials (flyers,
promo sheets, tic sheets for the advance man, press book, press
releases, advertising endorsements, etc.) into a hefty, 3/4-inch thick
volume (about 140 pages) which he is making available for a short
time. Write to him at 1118 Berwick Road, Birmingham, AL 35242.
At $40.00, it is a steal!
Mark Garetz e-mailed to say that he has the Ted Lesley
Working Performers Marked Deck available, as well as the marking
material. His web address: www.hoptech.com/magic/lesley.html;
his postal address is: 6 Dover Court, Danville, CA 94506.
Leonard Hutchens reports of his success in using Roccos
DLights during the dark portion of his sances. The key, he says,
is to keep the hand moving before, during, and after the light is
activated, for the shortest duration possible. The units are never
used for more than two brief bursts of light, which are seen flitting
around the Mediums head.
Christian Chelman was in Phoenix recently and was treated
to lunch by some of the members of the fabled Six-and-One-Half
(Dr. Juris, Kenton, Gene Urban, Christopher Caldwell, Mark
Strivings, Larry Becker, and Lee Earle). Im excited that he has
pledged to contribute material to SYZYGY for upcoming issues.
It would be easy to become envious of Marc Salem; he reports
lucrative bookings from American Express, Revlon, Merril Lynch,
General Mills, and Calvin Klein. Contemporary Mentalism pays!
Sad late news: Creative genius Stewart James of Canada died
November 3rd, at age 88, from complications following a stroke.
196
Wise Words:
Those who can,
do. Those who
have done, teach.
Those otherwise,
criticize.
Anonymous
Volume 3, Number 6
E. Raymond Carlyle
Issue # 42
Midway Dream

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
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per year
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US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
Almost everyone enjoys the games of

skill on a carnival midway, asserts the
Mentalist. Whether were attempting to
pitch pennies onto dinner plates, toss
wooden rings around the necks of
Coke bottles, or throw darts onto a
grid of numbers to reach a high
score, its likely that the games
are far more difficult to win
than they appear to be.
After showing three small
stuffed toys, the performer
points to an audience member
and says, You are the first to
play for a prize. Please tell us
your name. The participant says, John.
The Mentalist picks up a set of three blank index cards and
writes that name on the top card, turns it over and secretely writes
a figure on the reverse side. Then he flips the card name side up
and transfers it to the bottom of the stack of three cards.
Pantomiming holding a plate in his free hand, the performer
says, Ive written the number of pennies you must toss into this
imaginary plate to win a prize. How many do you think you need?
John says, Four.
Youre next, says the Mentalist, pointing to a second person.
Whats your name? She answers, Anne. Her name is written
on the top index card. As he writes a number on the unseen
reverse side of the card, the performer says, You will need to ring
this many bottles to beat the game. In your mind, how many rings
do you see on bottles necks?
Seven, she says.
Carlyle, pictured
The dart game requires a steady
above, is a founding
eye and a clear head, informs the
member of The
Mentalist pointing out a third helper.
Elders, group of
Your name is... Percy, replies the
Mentalists in the Los
participant. Once again, the name is
Angeles area.
written on one side of the top index
card and a number is inked on the
back side. Each of the three cards is leaned, name side out,
against one of the plush prizes.
The Mentalist picks up a numbered chart and says, Percy, you
have five imaginary darts to toss in order to get the highest score
possible. Where does your first dart land?
When the participant replies, that number is circled and all
other numbers in the same row and column are crossed out.
Please turn to MIDWAY, page 198
197
MIDWAY, continued
You didnt think, grins the performer, that a carnie would let
you just hit only the five highest numbers, did you? Now toss your
remaining four darts. As each imaginary darts point of impact is
circled, row & column are crossed out as
before.
Lets run a total of your five numbers...21,
2, 18, 14, and 10. That adds up to 65, says
the Mentalist. Lets recap. John figured that
four pennies would win the prize, while Anne
thought it would take seven ringed bottles.
Percy threw darts which totalled 65. How well
did you all do? He turns the name cards
around to reveal the figures 4, 7, and 65! The
three prizes are given to the successful players
with a round of applause.
Carlyle uses a combination of two methods,
the first of which is a derivation of Peter
Warlocks three slate move. After each name is
written on the top card, you apparently turn it
over to write on the back. Actually, you turn
over two cards, as in a double lift. On the back
of the first card (actually the blank, double lifted
card) you write 65, a number which will be forced later. Turn the
pair over again and place the two cards as one on the bottom. Dont
flash the underside of the stack.
Have John toss his imaginary pennies on your imaginary plate
and ask how many he chose. Remember the number.
Write the second persons name, Anne, on the top card and do
another double turnover. When you write, you are actually writing
on the back of card #1, so put down the number of pennies. Again,
flip the pair over and transfer them to the bottom.
Anne is asked to say aloud how many bottles were ringed in her
imagination. When you repeat the writing process with the third
helper, fill in the Annes number of ringed bottles when you write
on the double turned card. This pair is turned name side up and
the three cards are placed against the three prizes.
To force the number 65, make up a numbered chart like the one
shown in the illustration and proceed as described. You can also
copy the chart from SYZYGYs Internet page:
http:// www.Lee-Earle.com/SYZYGY.html.
Editors note: Richard Ganstwig, also of The Elders, phoned
not long ago to suggest that this issue of SYZYGY be dedicated to Ed
Fowler (E. Raymond Carlyle) who is relocating to the Virginia
Beach, VA area. Southern Californias loss is Virginias gain.
Richard submitted several contributions from that group,
including one of his own. Due to the length of Carlyles routine, the
others had to be retained for future issues. Thank you, Richard.
198
Paul Green
Option Call
Paul Green is a
working pro who
created The
Fortune Tellers
Book of Dreams.
There is a phenomenon, begins the Mentalist, known in the

sales trade as buyers remorse. Its the second guessing and self
questioning that occurs within a customers mind after making an
important purchase, wondering how much better the deal might
have been if only other options had been explored.
Placing his wallet on the table in front of a participant, the
performer begins shuffling a deck of cards and advises, I guarantee
you will experience that sensation in a few moments, even though
we will do everything possible to prevent it. Hold out your hand.
One by one, the Mentalist begins dealing cards into the
participants outstretched hand. He says, Stop me at any time.
When halted, the performer remarks, I dont know if you were
counting...but I was. There are exactly 17 cards in your hand.
Later tonight, when you rethink this moment, you will wonder
what would have happened if you had asked me to deal a few more.
Should I? The participant declines.
As you are driving home, you will question what might have
been the outcome if you had opted to stop me sooner. Would you
like me to take back some of the dealt cards? Take back two,
directs the participant. The performer complies.
In the morning, predicts the Mentalist, you will ponder what
alternative outcome might have been achieved if you had
decided to have me deal more or fewer cards. Would you
care to have me add or take back any cards? The
participant says, No.
Its your turn to do some of the work, smiles the
performer, So divide the cards into two piles, as if you
were dealing a two-handed game. The participant does as
requested.
Select either of the two piles by placing your hand on it,
instructs the Mentalist. Sometime tomorrow, you are going
to reflect on these events and contemplate the outcome if
you had chosen the other pile. You may do so if you
wish. The participant switches to the other pile.
Turn over the card immediately under your hand,
requests the performer, so that we all may see the
result of your random pattern of choices. As the
helper is flipping over the card, the Mentalist opens
the tabled wallet to reveal a single, face down
playing card. When turned over, it is revealed to be
a duplicate of the participants choice!
Start with any two cards on top of the deck and their duplicates
stashed in opposite sides of a Himber style wallet. Your shuffle
retains the two cards on top and the rest is self-working until the
point at which you open the wallet to the appropriate card.
199

Loyd Auerbach (510 652-5906) of the San Francisco Bay area
has penned an excellent book for the laymen entitled Mind Over
Matter. His material from author Martin Caidin makes a
compelling case for psychokinesis. Its published by Kensington
and can be found in your local bookstore or from Loyd for about
$15.00. Loyds other activities involve his work with his Sance
Fiction Theatre. Production artwork is shown here.
John Riggs (423 521-6705) has penned yet another volume in
his Lessons in Mentalism series; PW The Mentalists Secret
Weapon. Its a nice treatise on pocket writing; 39 pages, 81/2 x 11,
comb bound. Volume One in the series, by the way, is Phrenology
for the Psychic Entertainer, same physical stats.
If you have a Museum Store in a mall near you, look for a
wonderful conversation starter or office prop, a ceramic head with
phrenology zones clearly marked. These stores are a great source of
relatively inexpensive reproductions of old world artifacts.
Kentons Wonder Words Volume Two - The Real Work is simply
awesome; 4 audio tapes and a 22 page booklet open the door to a
universe of semantic meanings and hidden messages in the
language we use. Includes an Invisible Deck routine which uses
only imaginary cards (a truly invisible deck) and kills em. This set
is priced in the neighborhood of $65.00. Order at (602) 957-6375.
The classic word test using a selection of pieces from a torn
newspaper predates even Al Koran. In his Tabloid Psychic,
Denny Laub (219 657-5695) manages to combine the best of
several methods. Its $20.00 and contains several nice touches.
Mobile Mentalism is being offered by Mark Strivings, a 56
page, 81/2 x 11, comb bound book featuring close-up, strolling
Mentalism. Contributors are Ed Fowler, Docc Hilford, Anthony
Lindan, Terry Nosek, John Riggs, Gene Urban, Robert
Waller, and Richard Webster. Reach Mark at (520) 774-0804.
How about Methods of Mentalism from Ty Kralin? Subtitled as
A course on presenting great psychic readings, this comb bound,
47 page, 81/2 x 11 book offers tips, routines, sound advice, promotion
ideas, and much more good stuff from a working pro. Get yours
from Ty by calling (908) 752-9865.
One more: The Invisible Eye has been called a breakthrough
gimmick for cards and is the modus operandi behind the Out of
This World that fooled Paul Curry! This clever utility gimmick is
available for $40.00, postpaid from Dennis Marks; (213) 851-2375.
Richard Webster is a new, first-time grandfather at the ripe
young age of 50. Congratulations, Richard!
Kaplan, Louisianas newspaper ran a full page, with two very
large photos - one above the fold - featuring Ken Meaux (it is
pronounced, moe) as a paranormal investigator. What a spread!
SYZYGY has a new World Wide Web address on its editors
virtual server. Check the masthead on the front page.
200
Wise Words:
There is no
market for a fake
Mentalist.
John Riggs
Volume 3, Number 7
K.H. Fossgreen
Issue # 43
Minefield

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
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Canada:
per year
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You may be surprised to

learn, begins the Mentalist,
that there are over one
hundred million active land
mines buried around the world!
These military explosive devices are
buried in shallow holes in the ground
and covered with topsoil. They explode
when stepped on, when a vehicle rolls over
them, or when something snags the mines
tripwire. Some activists want nations to outlaw
land mines as legitimate weapons. The absolute minimum
should be requiring decay devices which would render them inert
after a certain time, preventing injury to innocent civilians.
The performer places five small cards on the table. Every card
has a section of map printed on both sides. He explains, These
are not unlike the pocket sized map segments that military
engineers use when marking minefields they emplace. Such maps
are vital in case soldiers must clear the minefield in the future.
Take this marker and put an X on one of the maps to indicate
where a secret minefield might be placed then turn that map over.
The Mentalist continues, placing five manila envelopes on the
table, Slide each map into one of the envelopes. That will hide the
evidence, much like layering dirt over the deadly explosive. When
youre through, mix the envelopes thoroughly. The participant
seals each map in an opaque envelope and shuffles the envelopes.
Picking up the five envelopes, the performer deals them in a
row in front of the participant and asks, Do you know which
ground is harmless to walk upon and which is deadly?
Hold out your left hand, the
Mentalist instructs, palm down over
K.H. Fossgreen is a
the soil and sense whats safe and
European subscriber
whats not. Place that hand on one of
and a performer
the five concealed maps and do the
with a sense of social
same with your right hand. Lightly!
responsibility!
Use your imagination. If this were
real, one mistake would render you
into component molecules!
The helper places one hand on each of two envelopes and the
performer tears the other three into pieces, saying, You have
narrowed your choice to two possibilities. Hand me one of them
and tear the other one up as I did the last three.
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
Please turn to MINEFIELD, page 202

201
MINEFIELD, continued
The performer suggests, Lets see how successful you are at
locating hidden danger... The envelope is opened and the map
withdrawn. It is the one marked with the minefield.
I had a hunch that you would place the minefield there,
remarks the Mentalist as he withdraws a sixth envelope from his
pocket. Compare the coordinates I marked earlier to your
minefields location. A map-card is pulled from the envelope.
The participants minefield is in the exact spot as a broad, black
X on the performers map!
For a contemporary, double-hit presentation, this one is
surprisingly easy to accomplish. You learn which envelope contains
the map bearing the mark of the secret minefield due to the Filman
Principle and then guide the participant to locate the same
envelope via equivoque.
The sixth envelope has a cutaway face panel which allows an X
to be secretly inscribed with a Swami Gimmick (nail writer, Boon,
etc.), shortly after the envelope is withdrawn from your pocket.
The Filman Principle takes advantage of the fact that heavy
card stock has, like a thin veneer of wood, a grain; it is easier to flex
across the grain than against the grain. If one cuts cards out of this
stock on a 45 bias, then two diagonally opposite corners will be
relatively stiff when flexed and the other two corners will be more
flexible, even when tested through the envelope. A commercial
variant of this principle is the magic trick, Tel-a-Color cards.
Photocopy any map onto both sides of the cards so that the top of
the map is at the same end on both sides. Test the corners before
performing to ensure the cards are aligned with the grain running
in the same direction. After one of them is marked with the
participants minefield, it is turned over (side to side or end to end)
which reverses the grain bias. Even within envelopes, the stiff
corner among the flexible corners (or the flexible corner among the
stiff corners) locates the marked map.
Mix the envelopes to place the minefield second from the
participants left as you deal the envelopes in a row in front of him.
That position is psychologically hot and the most often selected. If
his left hand doesnt find the minefield, then ask him (without
appearing to have intended otherwise) to place his right hand on an
envelope. Should his right hand cover the minefield envelope,
praise him for his skill in narrowing the choices to two and destroy
the remaining three envelopes, continuing as in the patter above.
If both hands cover unmarked maps, instruct him to destroy
both envelopes. Then have him extend an index finger to sense
among the remaining three. If he fingers the hidden, marked map,
say, You were lucky with the first two. The fingertips are much
more sensitive and youve probably found the minefield. Tear up
the other two envelopes. If his finger finds an unmarked envelope,
proceed with his other extended index finger, repeating the
procedure you used for the first two envelopes.
202
Filman Principle template
Carded!
From our choice of wardrobe to our preference in stationery,
begins the Mentalist, Every action we take, intended or
subconscious, reflects our personality, taste, and style. Choices
made with apparent free will may actually have been programmed
into our personality years before.
The performer takes a stack of about 40 holiday greeting cards
Christopher is one of and thumbs through them while occasionally glancing into the
Arizonas busiest
audience. He approaches one person and asks him to hold the
voice-over artists
bundle of cards.
with tons of industry
After learning the participants name, the Mentalist displays a
credits for
single, brightly colored envelope and explains, You were chosen for
commercials.
a particular reason. Youre easy. To read, I mean. That red
envelope contains something which will prove that point in a few
moments. Those cards run from the tasteful to the brash and
feature themes from the religious to the irreverent.
The performer goes on, Please hand me the top greeting card in
the group you hold. For the benefit of those of you who cannot see
it, its a reindeer in harness. Now give me the next one its a
snow-laden tree. And another this ones a Santa Claus cartoon.
As you can see, they share the same Christmas theme, but
otherwise none are the same. The participant agrees.
Continue handing me the cards, instructs the
performer, one at a time, until you feel the urge
to stop. There? Thats a lovely card; little
golden angels with tiny wings. This tells me you
are, at heart, a traditional person who is quite
creative, perceptive, and versatile. You have a
strong attraction to nature and can be somewhat
of a perfectionist. You are your most effective when
things are in a clearly defined order. Is that true?
The participant verifies.
The Mentalist continues, Youve had dozens of
different cards from which to choose, but you elected to
select the golden angel card. Lets look inside that red
envelope. He removes the card inside and shows it to the
audience. Its a duplicate of the participants choice!
The cards are arranged in a Koran 5-Star setup to force
one of four different cards. Start with a holiday card assortment of
25 or so greeting cards. You should also obtain at least five each of
four more, different cards which will be your force cards. Interleave
16 force cards into the assortment so that, beginning with the 8th
card, every card at an even position from the top is one of your force
cards. Rotate among the force cards so that duplicates are 8 cards
apart in the final stack.
Please turn to CARDED, page 204
203

Mark Garetz of the San Francisco Bay area sent in a great tip
for those of you working restaurants. The restaurants reservations
book often lists guests telephone numbers which can be crossreferenced via CD-ROM phone directories or Internet searches to
yield lots of material to add spice to impromptu readings.
Lee Earle offers the latest version of his well known Clone Pad
design dupe. Its no longer a gimmicked sketch pad; its two vinyl
clipboard/folders and offers improvements such as instant reset, a
protected clone surface, replaceable paper & gimmick, and its even
examinable. Clone Pad was great; The Clone Folio is even better.
Priced at $150.00 plus shipping. See more on the SYZYGY website.
In an earlier issue, I teased The Rocky Mountain Mentalism and
Bizarre Magic Association about their word-heavy title. Still, I was
surprised when Lee Marelli wrote to inform that they will
henceforth refer to themselves as the PSI Clones. Clever.
Two Colorado groups will host SYZYGYs BEST!: Fort Collins
(contact Ed Hurtibis - 970.223.8767) and Denver (Lee Marelli 303.751.4603) on March 6th and 7th, respectively. Lee is also
ramrodding a half-day workshop in Denver on Sat., March 8th.
Saturday, December 28 was the day Mark Strivings married
April Canter. A lovely ceremony and a strikingly beautiful bride.
Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Strivings. The Best Man was none
other than SYZYGY contributor, Robert Waller. The clan Flora
was also in full attendance; Brian, Jan, Ian, and Hillary.
Got lots of nice feedback from subscribers (and audiences) on
Carlyles Midway Dream. Its a keeper.
Correction department: The phone number given in the last
issue for Loyd Auerbach is incorrect. Contact him at
415.616.5501 or via e-mail at esper@california.com. Also relating to
the same issue, Paul Green credits Monte Smith for the idea
behind his routine. In addition, Pauls commercial release is more
accurately entitled, The Fortunetellers Book of Days, not Dreams.
CARDED, continued
After the participant has dealt the first seven cards into your
hand, suggest that he may stop at any time. When he does, one of
the 4 force cards will either be at the top of his stack or will have
just been handed to you. You indicate the force card as his choice.
A flap divides the envelope into two compartments. Within
each compartment is a single card, made by gluing two of the force
cards back to back. End on, the glued cards resemble the letter z,
making a double-sided card which behaves like a Himber style
wallet. When you access the envelope to remove the card, simply
open it to the appropriate compartment and remove the card
inside. Lightly pencilled cues help you remember to have the
appropriate side of the card facing up when you pull it into view.
204
The
Clon
e
Foli
o
Wise Words:
The audience was
drunk; half of
them saw two of
me and the other
50% didnt notice
anything at all,
so things rather
evened out.
Patricia Fripp
Volume 3, Number 8
Dr. Juris
Issue # 44
Juris Prudence

Copyright1996
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The last item anticlimax common to

many pseudo-psychometry presentations is
avoided in this spellbinding routine.
Much like the fabled Phineas Fogg,
begins the Mentalist, its been my
privilege to visit some of the most
remarkable places on the planet. Every
culture has its own shibboleths and saints;
curses and charms, which I gather as
others would accumulate postcards.
As he recounts his travels, he places
an open-topped, polished hardwood box
on a table at one side of the parlor. He
carefully removes six items from within
the box, gently extracting each from its cloth drawstring pouch. A
small paper scroll is attached, using an elastic band, to every item.
All six scroll-bearing artifacts are returned to the box, out of sight.
Indicating five persons seated in the audience, the performer
continues, Each of you please step over to that box and remove
one artifact. You may choose an item at random, because its
pretty, or perhaps you feel somehow compelled to select it, but
touch and take only one item. Pull the attached paper scroll free
and put it in your pocket for now, then conceal the artifact in a
cloth pouch to prevent anyone from knowing your choice. Place the
bagged artifacts back in the box and return to your seats with my
thanks. The participants, one by one, comply.
A shaman, sorcerer, prophet, witch, or medicine man would
tell you that a true amulet is attracted to the person and not the
reverse, informs the Mentalist, Lets test that theory.
Speaking to someone sitting near
the box, the performer asks, Please
hand me one of the pouches. He
Dr. Juris home is
opens the pouch given him and
more like a private
withdraws the item inside (for
museum, displaying
curiosities from
example, a carved ebony totem). He
around the world.
explains its alleged mystical
properties, how it was obtained, and
maybe a personal recollection.
The Mentalist goes on to describe in detail the type of person to
whom the amulet might be attracted, then turns to one of the
participants and says, That description seems to fit you. Unroll
your scroll and display whats written on it. It reads, Black,
wooden good luck totem. A perfect match.
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Please turn to JURIS, page 208

205
John Riggs
The Compelling Key

Every home in the country has a junk drawer somewhere in
the house, proclaims the Mentalist. Ours is in the kitchen and
serves as a repository for an assortment of nuts, bolts, screws,
connectors, washers, and nails. And keys. Then, when we discover
an old padlock, we must try every key in the drawer in order to find
the correct one. Surely, theres an easier way!
The performer removes a padlock from a small paper bag and
remarks, There are a half-dozen keys in the bag, one for each of
six persons in the front row. When its your turn, reach into the
bag and remove a single key. Be sure to keep it tightly closed in
your fist so no one can know which one youve chosen.
One by one, six participants remove a key from the paper
sack, taking care to conceal their choices within their hands.
Wouldnt it be wonderful if we could use our intuitive
processes to shortcut the search for the key which fits? asks
the Mentalist. Perhaps we can. Hold out your fists.
Walking down the row of extended fists, the performer
touches several, saying, One potato, two potato, three
potato...no, that seems too silly. Eeny, meeny, miney,
mo...nah, thats even worse!
History is full of stories, continues the Mentalist, about
dowsers, scryers, and seekers. One of those techniques
employs a pendulum to connect to the universal
consciousness. He ties a short length of string to the shackle of
the lock, then dangles the lock over the first closed hand. The lock
hangs still and steady.
That key must not fit the lock, he says to the participant, Give
it a try. The participant fits the key into the lock but it wont turn.
John is one of the
The procedure is repeated for the remaining helpers. Over one
most creative
of the hands, the string & lock pendulum begins to describe a circle.
performers in our
Well try that one last, explains the Mentalist, who goes on to
craft; sooner or later,
pendulize the remaining participants, each of whom tests his key
you will feel his
with no positive result.
influence.
Returning to the person over whose hand the pendulum moved,
the performer says, A key without a lock is a solution in search of a
problem. Likewise, an intuition untapped is a resource which is
wasted. I think the lock has found its key. Try it.
The participant inserts the key into the lock, twists the key, and
the lock snaps open!
The secret tattletale is a tiny, rare earth magnet. The lock is
purchased after its keys are tested to be steel. The other keys are
chosen because they are nonmagnetic, nickel plated brass. While
the keys are in the bag, the magnet is attracted to the single, steel
key, adhering to the bottom of the bag on your palm. When the
steel key is taken, the magnet drops into your hand.
206
Mark Edward
Reigning Cats and Dogs
Choose the right

audience and
atmosphere for this
routines gag lines
and its a winner!
People are divided into two distinct categories; begins the

Mentalist, cat people and dog people. You can tell a lot about a
person by the type of pet he chooses. Some psychologists claim that
there is a Freudian connection.
The performer continues, Earlier, I asked three guests to put
their heads together to covertly agree whether that trios pet of
choice was a dog or a cat. Each of the participants selected one
letter of the word d-o-g or c-a-t to focus upon and secretly printed
that letter, in block capital style, on a piece of posterboard.
As that committee of three comes forward, they have been
instructed to hold their panels bearing the letters tightly against
their chests so no one else will have a clue to the groups animal
choice, much less who has selected which letter. Please help me
welcome them. The performer leads the applause.
Eyeing the three, the Mentalist explains, This group
appears to be comprised of independent thinkers who live
life on their terms. They avoid becoming emotionally
involved in crucial decisions and seem to project a sense of
confidence. They must be cat people.
Before you acknowledge whether or not that guess is
correct, says the performer to the trio, Ill go further.
Larry, please move to your far right in the row. Thank you. Curly
and Moe please exchange places. That will do, thanks.
Now the Mentalist interprets, Larry is quick to seize
opportunity (and anything else left lying around). He is someone
who has learned to put off worrying about procrastination.
He has a strong drive but his putt needs work. With a
healthy respect for age, Larry prefers only the better
whiskies. He will be the person who chose the letter C.
Moe has the A and will soon receive money from Lady
Luck; hell spend it on Lady Friend. Good at pursuing
money, his hobby is following Brinks trucks. Hes a strong
believer in love & marriage, but not with the same person.
Curly, who has the final letter, the T, is aware of his strong
reputation; hes moved three times in five years because of it. He
only dated women born on Christmas so he could save money on
gifts. Curlys planning a surprise for the boss and will be at work
on time tomorrow. Turn your panels around so we can see them.
The panels spell out, in order, C-A-T.
After the preshow group chooses cat or dog, each participant
prints his letter on the matte-surface posterboard after you print
his name on the other side. You can hear the difference between
the letters (C=one long stroke, A=three straight strokes, T=two
straight strokes; D=straight stroke and curved stroke, O=one long
stroke, G=one long stroke and one or two short strokes).
207

Word from Rich Wagner of Denver is that a new Magic Island
opens on January 29th. Show tickets are set at $12.95 per person
and dinner guests (meals average about $15.00, not including bar
beverages) receive priority seating. No Mentalists booked yet, but
hope springs eternal. Phone for reservations at 303.988.5662.
If you havent heard about Craig Karges Unlocking the Power
Within then you havent been watching enough cable television.
His slickly packaged infomercial product is quite impressive. Using
audio cassettes, a video tape, and programmed instruction, this
treasure hunt in the mind explores everything from mnemonics to
lucid dreaming, with intriguing layovers at pendulums, intuition,
and affirmations. Lots of good research material here. SYZYGY
subscribers can purchase directly from Craig, for $44.00 postpaid
(regular retail is $70.00), by calling his office at 304.233.4366.
Chuck Hickok, Psychic Entertainers Association president,
performed in Phoenix recently, working a tough business audience
into a standing ovation. His corporate trainers touch and casual
style provide a textbook example of contemporary Mentalism.
Toronto, Canadas Ron Guttman informs us of a Mentalism
special interest group in that city, cryptically known as M5. Eh?
Another friend and brother in the art has taken his final bow Tony Johnson, director of Cicardis record-setting Mind Probe
television program, left us last January 24th. Fade to black...
JURIS, continued
Each item gets a similar treatment as the Mentalist-Curator
fascinates his audience with his depth of knowledge about the
artifacts and confounds them with his uncanny analysis of the
personality and identification of each participant. Each scroll
denotes its artifact as invoking success, love, health, etc.
Its prudent of you, informs the performer, removing the item
remaining in the box, to have avoided this small, stone statue. It
is attracted only to evil and is never chosen. He pulls the scroll
free and opens it. The scroll reads, Aztec death icon. How?
Before each person steps up to take an artifact, the performer
hands him one of the five, identical drawstring pouches. In fact,
every pouch has a different colored lining; participants are chosen
because each wears a clothing item of a matching hue so the
contents of the color-lined pouch can be easily linked to him later.
The death scroll starts in the Mentalists pocket and is
concealed in his hand as he reaches into the box for the final
artifact. That artifacts scroll is pushed free and remains in the
box; he just pretends to detach the death scroll from the artifact.
It helps to describe some of the final artifacts evil attributes
before opening and reading the scroll.
208
Wise Words:
Keep in mind
that you are a
totally unique
individual just
like everyone else.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Cold Reading
Demographics

Copyright1996
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Living in and providing readings in a large city

like Los Angeles, enables one to encounter a
wide variety of people. This goes double if one
does a high volume of readings in clubs or
restaurants.
Although the following information may
appear stereotypical, drawing on some rather
politically incorrect observations, there is a
surprising grain of truth in each of
them.
Young to middle-age Filipino women
tend to be nurses or in similar support areas
within the medical field. In fact, some medical facilities
actively recruit in the Philippines for labor. Your heart line has a
decided healing quality; the same indication that many nurses or
physical therapists have. Please note that the line is paraded by
them, not blatantly expressed, ...are you a nurse?
Educated and well-spoken Indians and Pakistanis are often in
medical school or are doctors already. You have the mind to use
your skills to help and heal. I saw a medical student last week
whose palm had a nearly identical line.
Middle-eastern types, Syrians especially, tend to gravitate
toward the garment business (known as the rag trade). Almost
all tend to be entrepreneurs. There is something wonderful about
the free market spirit these folks seem to radiate. You have the
power to put together an idea which other people could use. Its
amazing that many designers and
retailers have this same component.
Vietnamese who wear soft, used
Even though this
(but not fashionably faded) denim are material is based on
frequently senior employees on the
stereotypes, all of the
sewing floor of the garment trade
associated lines are
(sweat shops). They confirm lots of
very positive and
hits when told of raising cash to buy
affirming.
more sewing machines. Others whom
we refer to as boat people seem to fit
into this generalization; industrious, forward-looking, and thrifty.
You have the discipline and persistence to provide things which
others want, but a key element - something you need - that will
help you be even more productive is just out of reach. As
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Please turn to page 210

209
little as two or three thousand dollars would do the trick.

Personal experience shows that almost all Asians identify
strongly with the word persistence when its used in
context.
Medical or engineering school seems to be the area of
interest for many Taiwanese students. It has been well
documented within the education fraternity that Asians do
well in technical subjects, often edging out Anglos and other
minorities in college entrance exams. You have the ability to
solve problems, to analyze things. You would do well as a
scientist or engineer because you can get to the crux of a
problem quicker than most.
Tough and trim looking W.A.S.P.-ish types tend to be in or
associated with law enforcement. The tip-off is a controlled,
collected manner. They have a strong sense of right and wrong. I
see you standing in a position between right and wrong as a buffer
between good and evil. This line also works for military personnel.
Taller trim & lean types (especially if they wear those shiny
wire rim glasses ala William Sessions) are with, or thought about
becoming a member of, the FBI, BATF, etc. A good line which
scores like a Patriot missile is, You can do things in a covert
manner. If you were in law enforcement, you would excel in
maintaining a low profile and in quietly blending into the
background - like a plainclothes detective or FBI/CIA agent.
Spouses of the above appear to act out marriage roles that
were more the norm a generation ago (traditional family
values). At a recent party attended by cops, sheriffs, and their
wives, it seemed almost like going back in time 30 years!
Koreans connect with statements like, Something very
close to you was wrenched away and it seems no one cares.
You feel invisible and somehow blamed for others actions. In
Los Angeles, an average of one Korean shopkeeper is murdered
every month. Many Koreans feel the 1992 riots have never
stopped, but have been edited out of the news instead.
For some strange reason, Iranian nationals (and a few other
middle eastern types) seem to want to be in trendy businesses.
You have the ability to commercialize creativity, to take an idea
and put it into profitable action. You could design a popular
nightclub or start a fashion trend.
Young girls (6-14 years) who have that wholesome, Marsha
Brady look often have thoughts about being veterinarians or
working with animals. Your heart line reveals the ability to
comfort and heal small animals or children.
210
Pre-war Babies
Baby Boomers
Baby Busters
Born through 1945 - Grew up

during the Agricultural Age Experienced the Great
Depression, military experience
was positive, victorious. Believed
in Keeping the World Safe for
Democracy.
Born 1946-1963 - 72 Million - the

Happy Days generation - Grew
up on the Industrial Age. Military
experience negative (Vietnam) Goals focused on money, status,
material success. Rising standard
of living.
1964 to present - The Fix It

generation - Focus is quality of
life- Grew up in Information Age.
Short military experience. Want to
avoid risk and rapid change.
Predicted to have a falling or flat
standard of living. Generation X.
Focus: Security, the American

Dream, material success
Focus: Money, Status, Materialism
Focus: Quality of life
Marriage: Lots of divorces, but keeps

trying; fewer kids than pre-war.
Marriage: Marry late - 40% doubt it will

last. Many were Latch-Key kids &
raised themselves.
Marriage: Family sticks together, no

matter what. Many kids.
211
Job: Lucky to have one; retire with

same employer. Belief: Work hard &
you get ahead.
Education: Not that important - High
school level is typical.
Job: Work-a-holics. Focused on

achievement - getting to the top paying their dues.
Education: Street smart. High school some college.
Ego Drive: Fulfilled at work
Ego Drive: Being able to provide for

the family; Keeping food on the table.
Heroes: Political leaders - Churchill,
Roosevelt, Henry Ford
Social Problems: Protecting workers Unions, Prohibition, Morality, defending
Democracy.
Motivations: 1) Security; 2)
Wages/Overtime; 3) Promotions; 4)
Working conditiions.
Heroes: Athletes, actors, celebrities like

the Kennedys.
Social Problems: Rebelled against
establishment, dropped out, apathetic,
tried drugs, some activism, support less
government.
Motivations: 1) Status & wages; 2)
Opportunity for promotion; 3) Job
security; 4) Enjoy their work; 5)
Appreciated for their work
Job: Lack full-time employment; not

money motivated. Want work they can
enjoy.
Education: College; computers.
Ego Drive: Fulfilled outside of work;
personal achievements.
Heroes: Not many - Mother Theresa,
Jane Fonda, parents.
Social Problems: Concerned with local
because world problems are too huge.
National debt, Aids, Crime,
Environment, Education.
Motivations: 1) Must enjoy their work;
2) Be appreciated in their work; 3)
Feeling in on things; 4) Security
Upscale white females may have a tendency to feel directed

toward psychology studies; many are planning to be some sort of
psychiatrist. Youre a good people person who can see the trees in
others forests and have the potential to help other people make
wise choices.
Entrepreneurial types, easily spotted by their wheeler-dealer
attitude, are easily read; It is said that Americans will buy
anything if you put it in a box. You have that unique ability to
package things for presentation or sales.
Professional black males who model a conservative dress and
demeanor are receptive to business models. You have the ability
to devise with solutions that can be built upon. Someone like a Ted
Turner or a John Johnson would have this line. To avoid
appearing patronizing, use both a white and a black person as your
examples. Black businessmen will recognize Johnson, Earl Graves,
and A.G. Gaston.
All artistic types, especially Anglo males and non-conservative
black males, respond to: You can see creative ability in others and
find ways to make it work for you. Someone like a Walt Disney or
a Berry Gordy would have this line.
For the actor/singer personality, This line is common in
someone like a Bette Davis or a Madonna. You have a great deal of
creative energy and the ability to communicate ideas and feelings
in very innovative ways. Even though you feel the odds may be
against a successful outcome, your persistence will pay off.
Editors note: The individual who contributed the material for

this supplement is the source of a delightful story:
When doing a reading for a client connected to the film
industry, the palmist pulled a few lines from the can and delivered
them with full sincerity. Immediately after he said something like,
You have a great deal of unrealized potential which you have not
turned to your advantage... the client looked him in the eye and
said, Its a script, isnt it?
Our reader, attempting to avoid appearing guilty, simply
swallowed hard and raised an eyebrow.
The client continued, Im sure of it now. All along youve been
encouraging me with advice, and its just a script!
Just when the reader was about to confess, thinking he was just
nailed, the client said, Ive simply got to finish that damned script
Ive been working on and submit it. I dont know how you knew
about it, but youre one hundred percent right. Thank you!
Such are the trials and tribulations of the cold reader.
212
Volume 3, Number 9
Banachek
Issue # 45
Golden Year

Copyright1996
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Striding to the center of the platform,

the Mentalist points to someone in the
audience and asks, Please say aloud a
number between zero and ten, then stand
up. The participant says, as he is rising,
Seven. A second participant is given the
same instructions and replies, Three.
Both audience helpers remain standing as the
performer reaches into his pocket and removes a single, gold coin.
It is sandwiched between layers of clear plastic in a white,
cardboard frame. Please stand and hold out your hand, requests
the performer, addressing a third participant at the front of the
audience. This is a rare, gold coin from the last century and you
are hereby appointed as its guardian for a few moments. The coin
is placed on the participants outstretched hand.
The Mentalist takes pad and pen in hand, turns to the first
standing helper and asks, Your number was...? Seven, says the
participant, and the performer writes that number on his pad.
Addressing the second volunteer, he inquires, And your digit,
please? The response is, Three.
Seven and three, repeats the performer. Or, seventy three,
to be more precise. As a date in the last century, thats 1873, yes?
Turning to the third participant, the Mentalist directs, Please
turn that coin over and tell us the date it was minted. The helper
flips over the coin and replies, It is a commemorative gold piece,
in Extra Fine / Proof condition, struck in Eighteen Seventy Three!
The method is quite simple. You can find a reasonably priced
and undated commemorative coin (it should be as large as
possible) at a local rare coin dealer. At the same time, purchase a
number of the cardboard and plastic
frames which are used to display and
Simplicity is the
protect the rare coins.
prime ingredient in
Use a pencil which matches the
this quick and
lead in your nail writer or Swami
powerful variation
gimmick to write on the frame,
of the Koran Gold
Special Issue gold coin. Condition:
Medallion.
X-Fine / Proof. Minted 18 with
blank space for you to thumb-write
the final two digits.
Because you return to the first two participants to ask (again)
for their digits, the audience will mis-remember that the coin was
in the third helpers hand before the numbers were given.
Your coin dealer might have a thin, foam padded, clear plastic
box instead of a cardboard frame. Apply a removable paper label
to the front surface for the necessary writing.
213
Lee Earle
Poor Mans Room Service

Its a sad world, laments the Mentalist, in which security
concerns have become paramount in the hospitality trade. Thieves
have been known to stay at a hotel, keep the room key, and then
return at a later date to loot the same room while the current
occupant is attending a conference session or enjoying the
poolside buffet. When people forget to return their room keys,
the locks must be rekeyed as a precaution. Thats expensive!
The performer goes on, Lately, hotels have begun using
electronic locks with keys like these. He shows a flat, credit
card sized piece of plastic in the pocket of a small paper folder.
The Mentalist explains, This key fits a computerized door
lock. It is encoded to open your rooms door only and operates
just for the duration of your stay; after you check out, it will no
longer function in the lock. In some hotels, if you persist in
your attempt to use an expired key, you may find a brawny
member of the hotel security staff tapping your shoulder.
Neither hotel name, reminds the performer, nor room
number are printed on the card; another frustration for a
would-be pickpocket. If an active card-key is stolen, the
thief wont know which hotel it accesses, much less the room
number. Instead, there is a space here on the folder where
the reception clerk writes your room number by hand. Guests are
advised to memorize the room number and carry only the card-key.
Smiling sheepishly, the Mentalist admits, Of course if you have
less than a perfect memory (or one too many adult beverages) that
practice is problematic. Its not wise to walk down the hotel corridor
in the early morning, repeatedly inserting ones key-card until a
door lock flashes its green light. Surely, theres an easier way to
Who needs a
recall the room number, perhaps through intuition or clairvoyance.
gimmicked key
Addressing three persons in the audience, the performer asks,
chain? Your next
Would each of you give me a single digit please? Just allow the
hotel stay will
numbers to appear on a hotel door in your imagination. The
provide most of what
numbers given are 3, 8, and 1. Ill write that room number right
you require.
here in the space provided on the folder.
Returning the pen to his pocket, the Mentalist brings out a
mechanical crayon marker and says, I also carry one of these china
markers. Its about the only thing which will not permanently
deface the plastic. I use it to write the room number on the back of
the card in bold black digits which I can see without my glasses.
What was your guess at room number again? Three-eight-one?
He withdraws the key-card from the folder and turns it over. On
the back, next to the brown magnetic stripe, are the digits 381!
A piece of pencil carbon paper is taped inside the folder so you
can transfer the digits to the key-card by writing with your
thumbnail as you show the folders printed side to the audience.
214
Denny Laub
Testy
Photocopy this
specially designed
chart for your own
use
Back in the 1930s, begins the Mentalist, researchers at Duke

University began their experimentation into E.S.P. In order to
provide unambiguous targets for their tests, they employed these
five designs, circle, cross, waves, square, and star.
The mindreader shows a small chart which bears all five
symbols. Incorporated in each symbol is a small area in which to
write. He hands the chart and a pencil to the participant.
I have a packet of cards, each bearing one of the designs, says
the performer. He pulls one of the cards from the group and places
it, face down, on the table. Let your inner eye see the hidden
symbol, then write the number 1, to signify your first guess, inside
the same design on your chart.
The procedure is duplicated for the next three cards; the
Mentalist places a target card face down on the pile and the
participant records his guess with the numbers 2, 3, and 4.
The final design is no choice at all, reminds the Mentalist, so
write the number 5 in the only unfilled box on your chart. He
adds the final card to the pile as they dragged off the table into his
hand. Lets check your chart and see how perceptive you are.
The participant calls out his choices in order and, one by one,
the design cards are turned over. They are in the exact same order!
The chart is designed so that you can pencil-read which of the
five choices the participant marks.
You actually have six symbol cards; one with each design plus a
sixth card which has a spot of wax on its face. The waxed card is
placed face down on the table as the participants first target. When
he marks his chart, you learn which design card to place down next.
Hold your packet of cards in a block with the faces toward you.
Keep the packet squared so your participant wont detect the extra
card. If the design he just marked isnt on the face card, transfer it
to the back of the packet. Repeat until the desired card is on the
face of your packet, then remove it and place it face down on the
first tabled card and ask the participant guess its design next.
Repeat until he makes his fourth guess at which time you
actually have two cards held as one in your hand. There are two
possibilities: If his fourth choice is on the face of your doubled pair,
place them as one on the pile and pick up the tabled packet.
Compare for results in reverse order starting with guess #5. Show
the top card, move it to the bottom of the packet and apply pressure
so it sticks to the waxed card. Continue through the next four cards.
When his fourth guess is not on the face of your doubled pair,
slowly and deliberately pull the tabled cards one at a time onto your
hand, atop the doubled pair. This time, the waxed card will be on
top of the packet and will adhere to the one below it. The sequence
of the five cards (the waxed double is on top) will match his chart.
215

A poll by The Magicians Yearbook 1997 has placed SYZYGY
among the top three magazines in the world, in every category
(Value for Money, Quality of Material, and Quality of Production)!
More? SYZYGY placed second for Best Magazine Overall.
Not bad for a four-page newsletter! Hearty congratulations go to
Stan Allens MAGIC for taking first place honors.
Ron Aldrich has put in a request for any videotapes of old
Dunninger TV shows. If you can help, call him at 313.824.6194.
At a recent Six-and-One-Half meeting, Larry Becker
previewed his new Chameleon Chest, a utility item for the
Mentalist. As with all of Larrys offerings, it is of top quality and
comes with a jillion routines. The outfit sells for $169.50, plus
shipping. You can call him at 602.488.0980 or write to P.O. Box
6023, Carefree, AZ 85377 and hell send a detailed description.
Look for the SYZYGYs BEST! (Volume 2) lecture this Spring in
cities around the world. The May European tour (Belgium, The
Netherlands, France, & Italy) is now fully booked. Ive posted all
the dates on SYZYGYs World Wide Web page (for those with
Internet access) but will also print upcoming dates in this column.
Here are the remaining March dates (with contact information):
March 18, Cleveland, OH - (Neil Rozum at 216.333.4664);
March 20, Bloomfield, NJ - (Bill Rutan at 201.429.7597).
What a time we had in Ft. Collins & Denver they even made
me an honorary member of Denvers Psi-Clones! Ed Hurtubis and
Lee Marelli were suberb hosts to this travelling lecturer. When I
deplaned at the much-maligned DIA airport, Lee met me with a
set of maps, contact names, itinerary, and tour guides all bound
into a 3-ring binder. This guy could have planned D-Day or Desert
Storm!
The sad news has arrived that another of our number is no
longer with us; Ray Grosholz of Cooper City, FL, who suggested
a presentational twist featured in my current lecture, passed on
last February 6th, at age 71.
Concerning Poor Mans Room Service on page 214, it is obvious
that a Listo lead swami gimmick could also be used to inscribe the
numbers, and I have used that method myself, but the routine
actually was conceived as one of those lost luggage challenges.
Just heard from a reliable source that a new Herb Dewey
book on cold reading technique is due for release this summer.
Fantastic!
E. Raymond Carlyle has relocated to Virginia Beach, VA and
is already consulting in a commerical sance project. When it
opens, youll read about it here.
With the debut of his bi-monthly Quintessence, Bob Cassidy
has taken the plunge into the Mentalism newsletter business.
Annual subscriptions are $48.00 from Bob at 2211 S. Star Lake
Road, 13-106, Federal Way, WA 98003. Highly recommended.
216
Wise Words:
The eye sees only
what the mind is
prepared to
comprehend
Henri Bergson
Ty Kralin
Graphology
Goldmine
Ty
Kralin

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
US$48.00 per year
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
Ty shares valuable
money making
secrets, excerpted
from his new book,
The Pen is Mightier
Than The Sword.
217
Handwriting analysis is the Mother Lode waiting to reward the

enterprising Mentalist. Considering the timeless interest in
psychic phenomena and personal readings, its amazing more
entertainers arent persuing handwriting analysis as a profitable
alternative.
I originally was forced to incorporate handwriting analysis as a
last-resort attempt to salvage a booking at a fair. The event
managers threatened to cancel our contract because they
considered psychic readings as presenting a religious conflict with
another attraction.
In fact, there are venues that will accept a handwriting analyst
that wouldnt touch a psychic reader even though both are
delivering essentially the exact same product! Its simply a matter
of perception. In many cases that perception will give you an
advantage over any other reader types to the point that you will be
given preference for bookings. I have made my living from this for
years now, refining it more and more over the years to make the
presentation more efficient. The bottom-line benefit is that I sell
far more products and services than most psychic readers.
The average person finds handwriting analysis to have an
acceptable premise. When people say to themselves, Yeah, I
remember reading about police using this handwriting stuff... it
validates that belief which is based on past experiences, urban
legends, and Court TV.
The handwriting slant also allows for numerous presentations
to be tied in with a stage show which you want the promoter to
book. For instance, a living & dead test becomes a lie detection or
mystery theme effect and a design duplication becomes a
predictable doodle for someones personality type. The underlying
theme is, Handwriting analysis is so amazing it almost seems like
mindreading!
When performing, there is a certain psychological mindset that
I try to establish. Its that PULL, a frame of mind that makes
them say, He didnt exactly perceive the thought currently in my
mind but what he just described was in my thoughts a moment
ago!
I want the audience pulling for me, bridging the gap when my
long-shot guess is wrong, saying in their minds, His description is
incorrect, but he got the color (shape, emotion, time-of-day) right.
Here is where the real art of Mentalism comes in and where
handwriting analysis has a tremendous advantage. It creates an
easy faith. Handwriting analysis is a pseudo science (highly
respected and taught in European universities, by the way) which
many believe in and therefore accept. They transfer, or project this
feeling of belief onto a particular presentation and believe it also to
be real by association. Faith is a wonderful thing.
The main difference (compared to psychic readings) in doing
personality analysis by graphology is that I dont have to make any
predictions, although I will when it serves my purposes.
218
Mistakes or disagreeable points are excused by saying, Its a

small sample or Your text would have more to say and might
disagree with your signature, but well save that approach for a
more in-depth analysis.
An ideal venue for handwriting analysis is at house parties. I
have been far more successful impressing agents with handwriting
analysis than I ever was through readings.
A novel way to ensure that party guests spread the word about
your graphology talents like wildfire is to have the hostess, in her
invitations, request that each guest bring the signature of someone
who wont be attending the party. When the time comes to address
the group, hand a single business card and a pencil to each person
who provides one of those signatures. They are requested to take
notes about my signature analysis and give those notes to their
friends, explaining the relationships I point out. I deliver a brief
analysis (using a combination of an A-Z method and a strategy I
describe in my book Methods In Mentalism) insuring that no two
signatures generate the same reading.
Usually I also make one prediction. The guests chatter about
those notes all night long, fitting the reading to the signature
person (even when I clearly see it was off the mark). They are
going to take this back to their friends who are often intrigued
about the information and give me a call for a private consultation.
Since the party guest doesnt want to appear foolish for
believing what was in the reading, that person will usually further
enhance the reading, verbally adding to the notes and thereby
making the reading fit perfectly, after the fact. Viola! A miracle!
People who didnt attend the party hear about me and are
absolutely amazed at how accurately I described the person who
signature was analyzed. Ive been called weeks later and told how
they were still talking about that interlude.
Graphology is perfect for both shows and talks as well as the
street fairs. As you may suspect, I use each of these venues to
promote the other aspects of what Im
doing. My three favorite venues are
lectures, fairs, and malls. Additional
profits can be had by selling (pitching) a
mail-in analysis following my show. In
many circumstances, its possible to make
as much presenting a free talk as for a fully
compensated date.
The average fair brings in about $200.00
plus, a day with the high end of the scale at
about $800.00 a day. The weather will
have much to do with this, being a variable
out of our control. At these events, both
readings and handwriting analysis are
offered but most of the signage on the booth
advertises handwriting analysis.
219
My wife learned how to work the booth (using my special tic

sheets) after the first hour of instruction. I dont know why it took
that long though (tongue firmly planted in cheek). We grossed
more than $50,000 last year selling shows through this promotion.
The real value in working a booth at a fair is that it sells a stage
show at the same event and often to the same planners.
Graphology can bridge the gap between two seemingly unrelated
topics when you present a combination show and talk entitled
Discover your ideal lover through handwriting analysis, sold to
singles clubs and groups. Either they pay a fee or agree to allow
individual analysis sessions (each after a slight formality at the
cashbox). Think about presenting a talk called Body language,
graphology and other forms of nonverbal communication. This
provides a wonderful potential for supplementing the talk with
selected Mentalism presentations.
Free talks are one of the greatest ways to let the world find out
about you. The handwriting analysis should always be linked to a
benefit, describing the advantage people will derive from attending
your talk, such as Breaking the ice with handwriting analysis.
Offer free talks and classes on handwriting analysis in book
stores and Adult Education Programs. Doing only the better paying
single session seminars ($20 to $30 per person) in the spring and
fall semesters pulled $60,000.00 for me in one year.
The handwriting lectures bring in a great many people who will
want to book you for their corporate or private cocktail parties.
Provide a simple, brief and interesting talk on this subject to build
curiosity about what handwriting says about a person.
Unlike the psychic reader, you are allowed to ask questions
about the actions and behaviors of the writer and therefore can gain
an extremely accurate idea of what that person is like and then feed
this information back later in the conversation. People dont say,
Why did you ask that? Youre supposed to know.
You can also use handwriting analysis as a specialty for working
trade shows as well. Approach the trade show booth of a company
which is building a list of sales leads and tell them you have the
ideal way to harvest tons of prospects. They hire you, paying by the
day, to prepare a brief handwriting analysis for anyone who comes
to their booth. The signature sample card becomes the booth
sponsors lead card, with name and contact information. The more
signatures you analyze, the more names they add to their database.
Also, when attendees are queued up for their handwriting analysis,
the companys trade show staff can do their job of representing their
company to the prospects.
Since you are now a proven commodity, offering good value and
drawing prospects into the booth, you have a better chance of
selling them your entertainment alternatives.
220
Volume 3, Number 10
Ken Schwabe
Issue # 46
Digit Eyes

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
Tossing six
business cards onto
the table, the
Mentalist begins,
These cards bear
the numbers 1 through
63 on them. Youll notice that the numbers are arranged in neat
rows and columns, but not all numbers are printed on every card
and those which are have been distributed in a random order.
The mind reader requests, Please bring to mind one of the
numbers in that range, 1 through 63. Perhaps you may wish to
take a moment and ponder a second or third choice but at the end,
let us know when you have one of those figures in mind. The
participant thinks a moment or two, then nods.
As a benchmark for the process to come, instructs the
performer, handing the participant one of the cards, look at this
set of numbers to determine if your target number is among them.
Then place it face down on the table.
After a few moments, the card is tabled and the Mentalist
continues, Was your mentally selected number among those on
the card? No? Here are the remaining number sets. Repeat the
process of searching for your target number in each set. When you
find any which contain your number, place them in a second pile,
here. He indicates a spot on the table next to the first discard.
Accomplish the task as quickly as you can, reminds the
performer, but bear in mind that accuracy is critical. It is
obvious to everyone at the table that it takes several seconds for
the participant to visually scan each set of numbers. After almost
a minute, the cards have been divided into two piles.
Its a dreary chore, yes? asks the
Mentalist. I prefer the Evelyn Wood
By changing the
speed method, myself. Ill use the
premise of the
larger of the two piles and scan for the
routine, this well
number which is either repeated or
known
math puzzle
missing on all the cards. He squares
becomes fun again.
the packet of cards and holds it in his
fingers about half an arms length
from his eyes. Then, very rapidly,
each top card is whisked aside to reveal the one beneath it. He
takes out a pen and jots a note on the back of one of the number
bearing cards.
Was the number in your mind 17? asks the performer. No,
replies the participant. I was thinking of 55. With a twinkle in
his eye, the Mentalist turns over the card upon which he wrote. It
reads, Your number is 55!
Please turn to DIGIT EYES. page 222
221
DIGIT EYES, continued

Most of us are familiar with this number trick, having
discovered it as one of the items packaged in many magic sets.
Presented as a mind reading stunt, it fails to impress because it is
obviously mathematical in nature.
This routine provides a wonderful premise which takes the heat
off the secret. All the performer must do is add up, from either pile,
all the numbers which appear in the upper left corners of the cards.
If its the pile in which youve been told the target number is
present, the total is the same as the target number. Otherwise,
mentally subtract the total from 63 to get the target number.
You will note that the numbers on the sample cards below are
not in the usual, numerical order. Each cards numbers have been
scrambled into a random sequence to sidestep the otherwise
obvious arrangement. This has the added benefit of slowing down
the participants search for his target number (at the expense of
making his task a little more error prone). Be sure that you give
him adequate time to complete each search and script your routine
so you have something interesting to say during those dead spots.
222
Marc Salem
Veg-a-Mental
Whether the reply is

a fruit or a vegetable
(or even a tomato),
this quick & easy
routine plays well.
After inscribing something on the unprinted side

of one of his business cards, the Mentalist points to a
front-row participant and asks, Please name the first
vegetable that comes to mind... The single word reply
is Canteloupe.
I think thats a fruit, but well work with it,
remarks the performer, who continues to add strokes
and lines to the artwork on the card in his hand. Lets
imagine that you are strolling through a supermarket
and take a detour over to the produce aisle. You walk up
and down the aisle looking for canteloupe but find none.
Then, continues the mind reader, you search out and
find a grocery clerk to inquire as to the location of the
canteloupe. He tells you that they are on sale today, for a
very special price. The display of canteloupe is at the end of
the next aisle.
As the Mentalist speaks, he adds a final touch to his as
yet unseen sketch on the business card, transfers the pen to
his other hand and asks, Picture in your mind a bushel
basket of canteloupe. Ive drawn such a basket which appears
to contain several canteloupe. Imagine that this pen is instead a
little signpost attached to the bushel basket with a small, square
sign at the end.
In this store, remarks the performer, canteloupe are priced
per each, rather than by weight. What price do you see on the
sign? Seventy nine cents? Thats amazing. You must be psychic!
He turns the card around and shows his bushel basket of
canteloupe, priced at 79 each!
For a surefire routine with lots of impact, nothing seems to do
the job like a Swami Gimmick (nail writer, band writer, Boon,
etc.). But the beauty of this presentation is that you have an early
chance to score a direct hit, without using your gimmick.
The most often named vegetable is a carrot. So write, in block
capital letters, the word CARROT on the back of the card, timing
your question so that you are finished writing just before your
participant names his choice. If his response is the expected one,
smile, turn the card around, and take your applause.
Should any other vegetable be named, continue to draw a
bushel basket on the card so that your strokes cover the earlier
inscribed word. Draw a small, square sign on a stick above the
basket, put a small ea. (or in the case of bulk produce /lb.) in
the bottom, right corner of the sign.
Just as soon as the participant names the price, thumb-write it
into the space provided as you ask him to repeat (as if you didnt
hear him clearly the first time).
223

Now that my domestic lecture schedule is nearing completion,
look for SYZYGY to arrive a bit more frequently than of late.
Speaking of lectures, the final U.S. city for the current edition of
SYZYGYs BEST! will be in Portland, Oregon on April 25. This is
where the lecture is recorded on videotape for release this summer.
Contact David Fredric Ashton, III at 503.775.9377 for time and
venue.
Abundant thanks go to my hosts Neil Rozum (of Cleveland)
and Bert Rutan (of New Jerseys Mecca Magic) for the terrific job
they did to make the lectures in their areas successful.
I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the kindness of
Moshe & Teva Botwinick and Allen & Nancy Zingg who
offered their personal hospitality for those tween-date evenings
when I was in the NY-NJ area. Good friends and good
conversations; what a blessing.
Brothers in the art, Ty Kralin, Ted Saint James, and Marc
Sky assembled in my honor for a Manhattan afternoon of show and
tell. Or toast and boast, take your pick. What a creative bunch they
are! Ted, in particular, fried my brain for hours with the simplest
of concepts. Perhaps one day I can convince him to share that
devilish routine with SYZYGY subscribers. Marc Salem, who was
also present, did contribute one of his gems, the one on page 223.
The European dates for the lecture are:
May 7
Antwerp, BELGIUM, Marc Janssen, +32.3.480.6196
May 9
Kortrijk, BELGIUM, B. Mahieu, +32.56.35.03.15
May 10 Eindhoven, HOLLAND, H. Minten, +31.40.204.3810
May 12 Paris, FRANCE, Georges Proust, +33.1.42.72.1326
May 13 Lyon, FRANCE, Jean-Yves Prost, +33.4.78.28.62.20
May 15 Milano, ITALY, Carlo Faggi, +39.2.805.2773
May 16 Bologna, ITALY, Gianno Loria, +39.51.701135
May 17 Padova, ITALY, Aroldo Lattarulo, +39.49.619121
And, while Im at it, there are three more events scheduled:
May 22 Thunder Bay, CANADA, Peter Puna, 807 345.5736
May 23 Winnipeg, CANADA, Eric Wittenburg, 204 694.6711
May 24 Winnipeg, CANADA (Half day seminar), same phone.
The final lecture will be presented at the Psychic Entertainers
Associations Meeting Of The Minds, a members only convention in
Minneapolis, MN this June 12-15. The P.E.A., by the way, is an
outstanding organization of individuals who share the mutual
interest of promoting the ethical presentation of psychic
entertainment (which can encompass Mentalism, bizarre magick,
mental magic, new-age readings, etc.). I wouldnt be a bit surprised
if most of the the P.E.A. members could also qualify for admission
to that high-IQ outfit, Mensa. If youre interested in applying for
membership to the P.E.A., write to the membership chairman:
Doug Dyment, 1361 Rhode Island, San Francisco, CA 94107, or
call 415.647.7754. Hell send a complete application packet.
224
Wise Words:
Mediocrity is self
imposed.
Jim Hennig
Volume 3, Number 11
Larry Becker
Issue # 47
Lightning Thot

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
The Mentalists associate is

blindfolded and seated, facing
the audience, approximately
eight to ten feet behind and
slightly to the left of the
performer. The Great One
hands an opaque clipboard
bearing a pad of unlined
drawing paper to three members
of the audience, requesting that
each print a bold numeral on the
pad, creating a 3-digit number.
Taking the clipboard in hand and at
no time allowing the pad to face in any direction but directly away
from his associate, the performer asks the audience to concentrate
on the first digit, then the second digit, and finally the third
number. During this entire sequence nothing else is said.
Within seconds, the blindfolded associate correctly reveals the
3-digit number!
Most subscribers will be familiar with a gimmick intended for
magicians, Roccos DLite. Its a thumbtip in which a small light
and battery are concealed. A slight pressure inward on a switch in
the thumbtip illuminates the tiny red, gold, or green light.
The blindfold used is one which allows straight-ahead vision,
such as Osterlinds Stainless Steel Blindfold. A quick and
inexpensive variation is a double rolled handkerchief. Place a
handkerchief flat on the table and roll two diagonally opposite
corners toward the center until the rolled sections meet. If the
blindfold is tied over ones eyes so one roll is just above and the
other below eye level, only one layer of
cloth obstructs the vision and a decent
degree of sight is possible while the
Your local magic
blindfold appears genuine.
shop has a $19.95
The performer holds the clipboard
gimmick which will
over his shoulder, thumbs behind the
add miracles to a
board and fingers to the front. Even
two-person act.
though the associate does not look
directly at the performer, it is easy
enough to use peripheral vision to detect the E.T.-like glow
emanating from the tip of the performers thumb.
Coding each number as he asks the audience to concentrate on
the first, second, and third digits is a snap.
Naturally, many items can be coded in the same manner;
symbols, colors, celebrity photos, etc. Just be aware of your angles
and of any reflective surfaces behind you.
225
Christian Theiss
A Table for Two

Imagine a romantic, candlelight dinner, begins the
Mentalist, speaking to a woman at a nearby table. As you gaze
lovingly into your companions eyes, a delicious aroma, borne on the
breeze from the kitchen, drifts into your consciousness. Its your
favorite dish.
The performer writes something on a small pad, then tears off
the top page and folds it twice before placing it in an empty wine
glass. I believe I caught a mental hint of your menu selection. The
note records my impression. Please tell the rest of the audience of
the meal you selected. She replies, Spaghetti carabonara.
I was close, suggests the mind reader. Ill try again, this time
with the wine. Perhaps I can do better. Taste, in your mind, the
perfect wine to accompany your dinner. After pondering a
moment, he makes a second notation and that paper also is
quarter-folded and placed in the glass with the first note.
Now, what do we drink? asks the performer. A Bordeaux, I
think - 1986, full bodied and demi-dry, responds the lady.
An excellent choice, and a perfect vintage, compliments the
Mentalist, Im sure the meal will be perfect. Following dessert,
you yield to an impulse and take the single flower from the elegant
vase on the table. He once more jots a notation on a piece of paper,
folding it and depositing it with the others. What flower is it?
The participant thinks a moment and replies, A red tulip.
All three slips are poured from the glass and opened by the
performer. They read; At our romantic dinner, you will order a
pasta dish; We share a tasty, demi-dry Bordeaux, 1986; When you
leave, the scent of the flower you love will be with you. A tulip.
A standard one-behind strategy is employed here, with a clever
variation for the third option. Your first slip actually bears the
Youll recognize the
flower prediction. Tulip is written at the bottom of the slip, well
method right away,
below the rest of the text. When you pretend to inscribe your
but its the flowery
impression of her wine choice, you actually write a general
kicker which makes
description of her menu choice. As you apparently write the name
this routine special.
of the flower in her mind, you really put down the selected wine.
Be aware that your notes should be more than just one or two
words. If you wrote only Tulip (when you are predicting the dish),
what if she says, McDonalds Chicken McNuggets and fries?
There are two clever outs if she selects another flower. Because
you described it as a single flower in a tall, elegant vase, the flower
most chosen is, of course, a rose, so put a light dab of rose scent on
the paper. Then, when you open the note, cover A tulip with your
finger, have her read the note and sniff to identify the selection. A
third choice is covered with a single carnation in a tall bud vase in
your attache case. As before, you cover A tulip as she reads your
note; remove the vase from your case and present the flower.
226
Christopher Faria
Walk of Fame
Many well-read
subscribers will find
lingering traces of
Brain Echos in this
routine.
Have you ever, queries the Mentalist, taken a stroll down the
fabled Hollywood Boulevard? Trust me, its better to do it in the
daytime. No, not for the reason youre thinking, but because its
easier to read the celebrity names on the stars which are imbedded
in the sidewalks.
He picks up a drawing tablet and, with a jumbo marker, draws a
large star on the page and leaves room in the center for future use.
Numbering the points 1 through 5, the performer suggests, Lets
choose three of these numbers. Youll see why in a moment.
The participants agree to use 1, 4, and 5. The mind reader
strokes through the other two digits and hands one of the helpers a
copy of Leonard Maltins Movie Guide. Turn to page 145 in that
book and focus your mind on the film described in the first entry on
that page. See that film on the movie screen in your mind.
Once again taking the drawing tablet in hand, the Mentalist
begins to write something in the star, as well as in the margins.
I get the impression you are concentrating on an action
thriller, proclaims the performer. Lots of special effects. Military
stuff. Drug cartels. Now concentrate on the leading man. Im not
sure hes on the Hollywood Walk of Fame yet, but I predict he soon
will be. Will you tell us the title and star of the movie in your
mind? The participant replies, Clear and Present Danger,
starring Harrison Ford.
When the drawing tablet is turned around, the words Tom
Clancys Clear & Present Danger are written above the star. In the
center of the star is written Harrison Ford!
Because you have limited the page selection to the
digits 1 through 5, there are only 60 possible three-digit
combinations, twelve beginning with each of the five
available digits. There are 5 duplicate jumbo marking pens.
Taped around each of them is a crib which lists twelve possible
pages and cues you to the identity of the first entry on that
page. You can either write very small with a fine-tip pen, or
typeset the numbers on a home computer.
The first pens crib represents every 3-digit combination
beginning with 1, when no numbers are repeated (123,
132, 124, 142, 125, 152, 134, 143, 135, 153, 145, and 154). The
second pen cues the series which begins with the digit 2, the third
pen those numbers beginning with 3, etc. The pens are either
body-indexed or in their box in numerical order. When you get the
movie guide from your attache case you also remove the appropriate
pen. Read your cues as you complete your sketch.
It will be helpful if you browse the film listings in advance so
you know some of the details in each possible target movie and can
discuss those particulars as you sketch.
227

An unofficial challenge has been registered, by members of the
Legendary East Coast Mentalism think tank, The Thirteen, to those
of the equally Fabled Six-and-One-Half of Arizona. The conditions
are simple: a trusted and neutral third party (Marcello Truzzi,
perhaps?) will suggest a premise for a routine, perhaps only a
tentative title, and the criteria for success. Then the two groups will
engage in a battle of the brains to see which, if either, will be the
first to develop a workable solution to the problem. The winning
entry will be published in SYZYGY.
I wonder if The Elders, The Minnesota Mind-Psi, the Psi-Clones,
or any other similar groups want a piece of this?
Larry Becker is back on the lecture trail again this May. It
seems the old fire horse has heard the bell once more. There is
even some early talk about reprising our Mental Magic Super
Symposium in one or two cities, whenever he and I can arrange for
our paths to cross. Let us know if there is any interest in your area.
No promises, because it may not come together at all, but speaking
for myself, I cant think of a more enjoyable way of spending a
Saturday than doing point & counterpoint with the Beckmeister.
In the meantime, look for him in the Northwest - May 21 in Seattle,
WA; May 23 in Vancouver, BC; and May 24 in Victoria, BC.
I cant tell you everything that I know about the subject, but
Richard Mark has a hardcover book in preparation, set for release
within the next year. The project is shaping up to be more or less
The Collected Works of... plus additional new material. His is one
of the most creative minds in the business, so his book will probably
be on almost everyones must buy list. It certainly will be on mine.
Now that Bob Cassidy is publishing his Mentalism newsletter,
and since Roy Miller is still doing his outstanding job editing the
Psychic Entertainers Associations VIBRATIONS, the competition
for new material is keener than ever. SYZYGYs reservoir of
contributions is a bit lower than has been the case for a while.
If you have routines, effects, or even unfinished ideas which you
would like to see polished and published in the most widely
circulated Mentalism newsletter in the world (I cant help it - it just
came out!), send em in. Dont spend a lot of time actually writing
out a finished piece for publication because almost everything
submitted is rewritten to fit space and style constraints. Just jot
down the bare bones of the effect, the modus operandi, and any
good lines you use with the routine and let me do the rest.
Basically, my job as Editor is to make the contributors look good.
One nice benefit of getting your work published in SYZYGY is
that you are automatically covered under U.S. copyright law; your
ownership of the material is established and your manufacturing
rights (just in case you might want to go commercial) are
protected. So send in your good stuff and become part of SYZYGYs
celestial lineup.
228
Wise Words:
Be like a postage
stamp - stick to
something until
you get there.
Josh Billings
Volume 3, Number 12
Irene Levitt
Issue # 48
The Four Pattern Ploy

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
Psychologists, informs the

Mentalist, are continuously
developing tools which help
define and explore the myriad
facets of our personalities.
Some are well known like the
Myers-Briggs test, the
Minnesota Multiphasic
Personality Inventory, or the
Carlson Companys
Dominance-InfluenceSteadiness-Compliance
evaluation.
Drawing several symbols
on a small sheet of paper,
the performer explains,
While not as comprehensive as some of
the better known tools, there is a simple method to explore
your core drives and values. Look at this set of symbols and then
tell me which figure appeals to you the most. There is no right or
wrong answer, just a preference.
Depending upon which item among the four is chosen, one of
the following evaluations is delivered.
The participant answers, The circle.
Love and completeness are important factors for you. You have
the unusual ability to find peace within, as opposed to searching for
approval from the outside.
Ill choose the square, says our subject.
Home and hearth are your touchstones. Security and stability
will be the critical criteria when you
make your long-term plans.
Irene Levitt is a
My pick, replies your particpant,
nationally
is the triangle.
recognized authority
Youve indicated the symbol
and consultant in
associated with power and sensuality,
Grapho-Analysis.
which indicates a strong drive and a
very intense focus in all your
appetites.
Your subject answers, The squiggle seems to attract me.
Creativity and imagination are the keystones in your life. You
are often frustrated when locked in a box by others constraints on
your working habits. You prefer to draw outside the lines.
Thats all there is to it. Give this tool a try and youll be
amazed at the reactions you generate.
229
Danny Archer
Par for the Course

His sealed, initialed, green prediction envelope in
full, if slightly inaccessible, view, the Mentalist tees up
his opening line, Golf is a game in which a sphere
measuring one and one quarter inches in diameter is
placed on a sphere approximately eight thousand miles in
diameter. The object is to take a stick in hand and hit
the small ball, not the large one.
Some people, he remarks as he pulls a small
white card from his shirt pocket, even keep score.
On scorecards similar to this, using a pencils like
this. The performer displays a stubby, eraserless pencil. They
have no erasers in order that they may lead us not into temptation.
You see, in golf, the lowest score wins.
The mind reader hands card and pencil to an audience
participant and instructs, There are 18 holes to play, each marked
with a value called par, which is the number of times a very good
golfer should hit the ball into in order to put it in that hole. Please
enter a number from 1 to 10 for any one of the holes, then pass the
card and pencil to the next person at your table to do the same,
until scores for all 18 holes have been entered.
As the card is being passed, the Mentalist continues, A higher
number of strokes is over par and a lower number can be parlayed
into free drinks at the country clubs lounge. At the end of the 18
holes of play, the number of strokes is totaled. Well do that in a
moment. The last hole has been played? Good, hand me the score
card please.
Looking at the card, the mind reader comments, A hole-in-one?
Thanks. Theres only one other time I got an ace. In my dreams.
The Mentalist indicates the prediction envelope thumbtacked to
the wall at one side of the room and asks of someone who has not
yet participated in the routine, Would the gentleman seated near
that envelope please detach it and bring it to the stage? You will be
in charge of totaling the score. But dont be apprehensive - youll be
provided with a calculator.
The arriving participant is handed the calculator and score card
and is asked to retain the envelope for the moment. When he has
totalled the score, the Mentalist looks over his shoulder and asks,
Well, did we break 100? I guess not. The total is 118. Thats my
par for the course. He removes from the envelope and displays a
card which shows a golf ball on a brightly colored green. Imprinted
on the white ball is the number 118!
The calculator is the key element in this routine, not because its
gimmicked; to the contrary, it is quite normal.
Please turn to PAR, page 231
230
This routine is fresh

from Dannys
current lecture and
makes use of some
diabolical thinking.
PAR, continued
Presidio Golf and

Country Club
Hole
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Distance
398 yards
528 yards
379 yards
145 yards
312 yards
363 yards
245 yards
379 yards
491 yards
Front 9
Hole
Distance
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
508 yards
398 yards
453 yards
173 yards
349 yards
182 yards
368 yards
353 yards
524 yards
Back 9
Front 9
Par
4
5
4
3
4
4
3
4
5
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
36 ___
Par
5
4
4
3
4
3
4
4
5
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
36 ___
36 ___
Course TOTAL 72 ___
It is necessary because it provides the justification for a sneaky

switch of score cards! As all attention is on the participants
retrieval of the green envelope, you are holding the scorecard in
your hand as you dip into your open attache case to get the
calculator.
Next to the calculator is a duplicate scorecard on which you
have entered, using several different styles of handwriting, scores
which total 118. Just leave the original card behind when you
grasp the calculator and new scorecard. Dont give it a thought.
Eliminate any fumbling by standing the calculator and card
together, on edge, leaning against another item in your case. The
wise performer will construct a small device (such as a block of
wood with a slot in it) to ensure a perfect and secure positioning of
calculator and card.
The scores you enter on the final scorecard must include a 1 and
a 10. This gives you the opportunity to comment either on a holein-one or the truly awful 10 when either shows up on the genuine
card. After the switch you can ask of your audience, as you look
again at the card (remembering the position from the genuine
card), Who is the sadist who entered 10 strokes for the fourteenth
hole? Is that from personal experience? I thought so (or not).
Photocopy the scorecards at the right and attach them back-toback for the routine. You can also download the graphics from
SYZYGYs web site: http://www.Lee-Earle.com/SYZYGY.html.
Editors Note: In a conversation with Larry Becker, another idea
for a switch came into play.
Purchase an inexpensive calculator which has a folio-style case.
Re-attach the calculator to the case with a strip of cloth tape along
the bottom left edge only, between the folios front and back covers,
so it is hinged like a thick page in a book.
Stick small Velcro tabs on the back of the calculator at the
corners and the matching tabs on the surface of the rear cover.
These will lock the hinged calculator to the back panel. To
keep the card from possibly sliding out of the section
behind the calculator, glue a little piece of foam rubber
to the center of the panel.
Prepare by placing your duplicate
score card on top of the calculator and
close the case.
When its time for the switch, pull the
calculator out of your pocket and open the
folio to the side behind the calculator and
drop the first card inside.
Close the case (pressing the Velcro
tabs to lock everything in place) and
hand the calculator to your onstage
participant.
231

In a recent correspondance with an inquiring mind, I listed some
elements which I feel are critical for success in contemporary
Mentalism. I thought it might be helpful if I repeated them here.
1) Mindset is monumental. Contemporary Mentalism is no
longer just a subset of magic and conjuring, but has evolved into an
art form of its own. Its not about fooling the audience.
2) Premise is pivotal. If you set a believable premise,
everything else falls into place. A flawed foundation will encourage
your audience to eat you alive.
3) Material is minimal. The less between you and your
audience the better. Dunninger is alleged to have said, Every time
you pick up a prop, your price goes down.
4) Personality is paramount. Nobody likes a phoney. Unless
youre a consummate actor, dont even think about developing a
character. Be natural and be real to be successful.
5) Entrepreneurism is everything. All successful Mentalists
are first exceptional solo businessmen. No one outside our
community of peers knows what a Mentalist is or does. Its up to us
to promote and exploit the opportunities for income.
6) Attitude is all-important. Dont play at it; give it your
best or stay off the stage. Mentalism is not easy. It requires effort
to craft a presentation worthy of an audiences attention.
7) Honor your audience. No one really cares what special
talents you claim to have developed. Audiences have every right to
ask, Whats in it for me? Remember, todays cynical audience is
just a breath away from saying, So what?
8) Study your stagecraft. You must be an effective
communicator, a master of platform skills, and a continuing
student of the specific techniques of Mentalism. Anything less is
shortchanging yourself.
Every now and then a publication written for the real world
provides content which has immediate applications in our
specialized line of work. Such a booklet is Brainwriting! - for Sales
by Irene Levitt. Its about 40 pages, 51/2 x 81/2, staple bound, and
packed with quick shortcuts to understanding and applying
graphology techniques. For only $9.95, its a bargain! Contact
Irene at Handwriting Consultants. L.L.C., 8687 E. Via de Ventura Suite 200, Scottsdale, AZ 85258 or e-mail to IRLevitt@aol.com.
Subscriber Malcom Beard called to inform that the little
necklace-vials for perfume (used in Scents and Sense, issue #41) can
be obtained from your local Avon cosmetics representative.
Jack Dean has introduced Perception, a drawing duplication
routine using two vinyl-surfaced, 7" x 9" whiteboards and markers.
Your helper sketches, writes a number, or a puts down a word on
his whiteboard and you duplicate it on yours. Classic, clean, and
minimalist Mentalism, it comes with several handlings. Its $44.00
postpaid from Stagecraft, 3110 Arrendale St., Memphis, TN 38118.
232
Wise Words:
All mystical
experience is
coincidence - and
vice-versa.
Tom Stoppard
Herb Dewey
Mindblowing
Psychic
Readings

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Herb Dewey is an
acknowledged
master in the art of
Cold Reading. Now,
he shares his secret
words with us.
Canada:
US$48.00 per year
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
233
Marc Sky
(From the Foreword to the book, Mindblowing Psychic
Readings.)
Ive been doing psychic readings for a number of years. It is said
we all share the same hopes, fears, dreams and sorrows. But we are
also unique. Years ago I read what I consider one of the best books
on readings, a book called Passages by Gail Sheehy, a book which
is not about psychic readings, but rather common psychological
patterns we fall into at specific decades in our lives.
While doing a reading for a very attractive woman (indeed, she
had won a few beauty pageants) I told her things about herself that
were strictly based on her beauty. In other words, it would not have
been accurate if she was an overweight woman in her forties.
In talking to Herb, he too had a specific type of reading he
would offer to that same type of person. Not that it was a canned,
memorized reading, mind you, but certain things about that person
that would probably be about eighty percent accurate. All while
tuning into her and genuinely sensing other things about her.
Thats where the germ of this book was hatched. I said to Herb,
You know, it would be interesting if a reading could be generated
for many personality types. I mean, a female college students
reading based on her life experiences would be different from that
for a married man in his thirties or an Hispanic woman.
Peoples life experiences are simply different. Thats not to say
one is better than another, simply that their backgrounds, the ways
they were brought up, make their attitudes, their expectations,
their personalities quite separate from each other.
Herb Dewey has been doing readings for decades. He estimates
he has done over a hundred thousand readings. A hundred
thousand readings! And all of them rated between eighty and
ninety percent accurate by his clients. Anyone whos done that
many readings has to know what hes doing.
Given a list of typical personality and age types, Herb put
together a 15-minute reading for each type.
These readings are not meant to replace your own intuitive
skills, but rather to compliment them. Use pieces of them to fill in
the gaps of your own readings. When your brain begins to shut
down after a full day of doing readings, use the enclosed material to
get back on track.
Another important point you dont have to use the entire
material in each reading. An imaginative way you can use these
words is to combine them. Suppose youre doing a reading for an
overweight married female in her twenties. You can mix parts of
the overweight reading and the married 20s female reading!
For a black attractive female whos married in her 20s you have
three types of readings you can combine to your hearts content.
The possibilities are endless. Now Ill be ready when I meet a
teenage overweight Asian handicapped lesbian!
234
Editors Note: These examples are excerpted from much longer

and far more detailed readings in Herbs new book. It is priced at
$45.00 + $4.00 postage (overseas airmail is $10.00), and will be
available after June 1, 1997 from Mindreaders, P.O. Box 120,
Marlboro, NJ 07746. Or call (908) 750-4377.
Teenager Female Youre not fully an adult, yet you think
like an adult. You have a tendency of wanting to chum around with
people older than kids your own age, who are two-three years older
than you, because it is very exciting for a freshman to go out with a
senior. I dont think that youre truly understood. I think that you
are having all this independence put on you.
Teenager Male I would think that, statistically, you
probably would stay and work and live and raise a family in the
geographic area you are in now. Yet in your mind, you want to be
the adventurer, you want to be the traveler, you want to set a new
course in your life that has not been set in the past, or go to new
places, or different places. As far as work or a career is concerned I
believe that probably the second most important decision in your
life is what you will do with your career.
College Female If you find yourself in an unusual
relationship with a person of a different ethnic or race or religious
background, that is probably normal, simply because you are trying
to leave your own signature on the universe. You are trying to do
things that are different and not do things that are commonplace.
You see yourself far more adventuresome, perhaps, than your
mother. Much more of a daredevil than your mother and much
more outspoken than your mother.
College Male There will always be some potential
relationship as far as a female is concerned, and for the most part,
you will date girls your age and younger, but there will be one
exception to the rule, where this girl is going to be anywhere from
four to seven years older than you. There would probably be a
relationship there, that shell be much more experienced than you
in life, but I think that there will be a deep relationship there.
20's Female Single You are a non-compromising individual,
who could be competitive with men, which would lead me to believe
that at some point in time you may hold a career position normally
held by a male. I dont see you as weak and you are not the type of
individual who gives in or settles. There seems to be a confidence
factor that you have that others do not. That is not to say that you
are aggressive or forceful, but that you would take a calculated risk
or take a chance at a job, and would be very successful.
20's Female Married You would be the one-man woman.
You have not needed a multiple of potential relationships. Once you
have set your mind on a person, sort of like love at first sight, thats
probably all that you need. In retrospect, youve taken a great deal
of responsibility on your shoulders, and of course your family
would still see you as a young child.
235
20's Male Single I think that you have the ability to achieve
whatever you want to achieve in life. I suspect that ultimately you
would own your own businesses, because youre not going to
become rich working for somebody else. I feel you would excel in
marketing or in sales. Since, if youre good in sales or marketing,
they are one in the same. You have a likable way about you; you
are people oriented. You dont need a college education, you dont
need a masters degree, you dont need a Ph.D., you simply have a
way about you for getting along with people.
20's Male Married I would get a feeling that lately there
seems to be a great deal more responsibility on your shoulders
than there has been in the past. Money seems to be very
important to you now, at this point in time of your life. Everybody
is going to say to you, youre too young to be married, youre just a
child yourself, youve not developed to your fullest potential, why
did you have to marry so young, and thus and so.
30's Female Single I feel that you have been concentrating
a lot more on work lately than personal relationships or
socializing. And it seems to me that you are devoting a great deal
of time to work in a sense that its a comfortable scenario, its a
comfortable situation because the more that you involve yourself
in work, the less you become aware of your purpose in life.
30's Female Married I dont believe that you are a
manipulator or a game player or into head games or mind games.
So obviously you are not a user, you dont take advantage of those
around you, and you dont step on peoples toes. In many ways
youd be considered reasonably old fashioned. If somebody is going
to do you a service or a favor or give you something, its important
for you to balance the scales. Its important for you not to be in
debt to any other person, but rather to pay back a favor.
30's Male Single It appears now that when you date a
woman more than three times it would indicate that its the
beginning of a serious relationship because normally you put the
woman under a microscope and if youre not impressed with her
body, mind, and spirit, if youre not impressed with her values or
integrity, I really dont think that youd hang around.
30's Male Married Your psychological idiosyncrasies, your
desires, your habits, your routines pretty much have been set in
place at this point in time. Based on your energy level the most
significant thing I can tell you is never settle or compromise. Do
not become commonplace, do not be placated into staying in one
place within your life.
40's Female Single You are able at this point in your life to
know, or have a knowing, if there is any potential with the person,
and you will probably know that within the first couple of minutes.
Somebody can show you a photograph of a male, because I believe
that there has been some match making or networking done, and
you have probably experienced at least one or two blind dates.
Continued in Quarterly Supplement #12
236
Volume 3, Number 13
Denny Laub
Issue # 49
Kidz Kardz

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
I can almost guarantee that if you

have a home with children, begins the
Mentalist, every deck of cards will
number between 49 and 51. When I
was a youngster, we often amused
ourselves by playing Old Maid, Go Fish,
Crazy Eights, or some other simple
card game. After extended periods of
play, a card may become damaged or
missing and we would substitute in its
place the Joker, its new suit and value
inscribed with a crayon.
The performer asks of the
audience, Have any of you shared a similar
experience? One person among the group lifts his hand.
I recently rummaged through an old box from my attic and
found a kid-worn deck of cards, the mindreader explains. As I
expected, the deck is short by one card. If my memory serves, the
missing card was last seen clothespinned to the fender strut of my
bicycle, making motorcycle noises against the rotating spokes.
Turning to the participant, the Mentalist asks, My minds eye
still sees that missing card. Open your mind to my thoughts. See it
with me. Ill give you a hint - the missing card is not an Ace. Which
card did I remove from the deck?
After a moment, the participant says, The Seven of Hearts.
The performers jaw drops open, then he recovers, saying, You are
more perceptive than you think. Let me show you what I mean.
He withdraws from his pocket a pack of cards in its case and then
removes the cards, placing them in the participants hands.
He remarks, Youll be pleased to
note that the Seven of Hearts is
Some license was
missing from this deck. Go ahead,
taken with Dennys
count all of the cards into a face up
original routine,
pile, and see for yourself. One by
which used folded
one, the participant deals and counts
paper predictions
every card in the deck; only 51 cards
instead of Jokers.
are present and the Seven of Hearts is
missing!
Remember, reminds the Mentalist, how, as children, we
replaced a missing card? He opens the card cases flap and
withdraws a face down card and turns it over.
It is the Joker - with both indexes crossed out and 7-H written
boldly across its center!
Please turn to KARDZ, page 238
237
KARDZ, continued
Begin with two decks of cards. Remove from each
deck all the odd numbered black cards as well as the
even numbered red cards. These are assembled into one
deck while the remaining cards are combined into a
second deck. Remove a single card, it doesnt matter
which, from both decks so that there will only be 51
cards to be counted. When you place the decks in your
pocket(s) you must remember which deck is EvenRed/
OddBlack and which is EvenBlack/OddRed. When the
participant names a card, you simply remove the deck
Cut slits here
which does not contain his choice.
As for the Joker substitute, you require a Swami
Gimmick which uses Listo, Scripto, Chinagraph or
Crayon lead. Prepare the Jokers by using the same
marker to draw an X over the index on each corner.
Each card case is doubly slit as in the top illustration,
allowing one of the Jokers to be inserted in the case
so its center section will be available for your
thumbwritten entry. The Aviator brand of cards has
the ideal box for this purpose.
When you remove the deck from the case, hand the cards to your
participant for dealing and counting, close the flap and retain the
card case. While the cards are being scrutinized and
counted, you have ample opportunity to inscribe the
value and suit of the missing card on the Joker
before placing the case, Joker side down, on the table.
Of course, it is also possible to pocket-write the
cards identity before you bring the box into view. Its
quite easy because the deck provides a firm surface to
support your inscription.
Seasoned Swami Gimmick users please note that,
while one can make the appropriate entry when the
deck is first brought out of the pocket, thats when the
heat is greatest. Wait for the offbeat.
For an alternate kicker, employ pocket card indexes
which hold 48 (no Aces, remember?) battered, beaten
cards. As the counting progresses, your hand goes to your
pocket and retrieves the named card from the index. A
nice touch would be to attach an old, worn clothespin to
the card before you remove it from your pocket.
If you really want to go the distance, locate a kid (who
resembles you, as a child), dress him in appropriate
clothes, and attach one playing card to his bikes fender
frame with a clothespin. Then take a snapshot of kid & bicycle
which clearly shows the cards identity. Repeat with 47 more cards.
Index these photos, instead of cards, for a nostalgic finish.
238
Steve Michaels
Local Attraction
It would seem, offers the Mentalist, that every hotel, inn,
motel, guest lodge, and luxury resort has a display of local
attractions for visiting tourists. These memorable alternatives
bombard our senses with new sounds, fresh tastes, enticing aromas,
surprising textures, and fascinating vistas. But often, more than
just our five physical senses are stimulated.
Picking up a handful of advertising cards for tourist
destinations, he continues, Here are just some of the many
memorable places folks can visit right here in this area. Youd
be surprised how many local residents arent aware of the
variety.
The performer thumbs through the stack of advertising
cards, showing come-ons for skydiving, helicopter tours,
amusement parks, hot air balloon rides, steamboat cruises,
factory outlet shopping, and so forth. Lets take a virtual
journey, he offers, to one of these vacation options.
Approaching a front-row participant, the mindreader
demonstrates, Please lift off a portion of these advertisements, and
look at the one on the underside of the portion youve taken, like
this. Ill turn aside to lend some privacy.
When the participant has cut the cards, the performer says,
Tune in your senses to everything in the scene you see. Experience
in your mind every sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.
The Mentalist sniffs the air and says, Is that the aroma of
popcorn? (Yes.) Do I sense a soft seat, reclined a bit more than
usual? (Yes.) And stunningly rich sound effects, too! (Yes.) Theres
a six-story high screen and a 14,000
watt Digital Sound System - youre
visiting the IMAX theatre. (Yes!)
The deck of cards
Go to any hotel to pick up your
described here is a
free supply of advertising cards,
perfect utility force
which should include 20 cards, all
for the final item in
different, and another 20 of the same
a 3-part one behind
subject. The cards are found near the
routine.
reception area or at the concierges
desk.
Use a paper trimmer, Exacto knife, or (best yet) a print shops
precision cutter to slice all the different cards about 2mm narrower
than the set of 20 duplicates. Interleave the cards so that every
other card is a force card.
When one grasps the sides of the pack to cut off a portion, the
bottom card will always be one of the wide, force cards. To show the
different attractions, hold the pack face up and grasp them with the
thumb and fingers on opposite sides. Let a few cards at a time
dribble off the bottom of the deck into your other hand. Handled
this way, only the faces of the short, indifferent cards will be seen.
239

Wow! The European tour for SYZYGYs BEST! is history. And,
boy, am I exhausted. Counting a short side-trip to Winnipeg &
Thunder Bay, Canada, yours truly was on the road for almost the
entire month of May.
But what memories!
The incredibly delicious Belgian beer...whisper quiet (and fast)
French trains...the aromas of Amsterdam...Flemish bakery treats
and Kikkerbilletjer...wine with almost every meal - and no
headaches after...the gorgeous Swiss/French/Italian Alps...a
musical standing ovation in Bologna...the beautiful Dauphine who
was my tour guide/hostess in Kortrijk...pizza & grappa after the
lecture in Milan...a tasty fondue in Geneva...the gypsies,
pickpockets, and streetwalkers...the clever prediction chest at
Select Magic...the fortified clubhouse in Hoboken (Belgium, not
New Jersey)...Napoleons tomb in Paris...again, the food (every time
I opened my mouth, someone stuffed something appetizing
inside)...the incredible hospitality which began at a bed & breakfast
in Lier and continued straight through to my final day in Europe at
the Orly Hilton...and new friends, everywhere! I am blessed.
The new lecture video, SYZYGYs BEST!, Volume 2, is now
available. It features a good mix of close-up, cabaret, and stage
Mentalism with an 80-minute running time. The VHS tape is priced
at $35 for the standard (NTSC) version and $40 for the version in
PAL format for overseas viewers (plus 10% for domestic shipping
and 20% for postage to foreign addresses). Syzygy subscribers can
get a $5.00 discount on the tape if it is ordered when sending in
their subscription extensions and ballots (which help choose next
years lecture material). Ill extend the deadline through June 15th.
It would be interesting to learn if subscribers are making use of
the graphic support posted to Syzygys Internet site. Give me some
feedback so I know whether to continue uploading the material.
While youre browsing the WEB site, check out the schedule for
next years lectures - its filling up far more quickly than ever
before. Mentalism is catching on!
By the way, lecture audiences already know this, but most of
you dont; whenever dealers send an item to me for review, unless
they specifically ask for the product to be returned, it is used as a
door prize at one of the lectures. Syzygy policy as regards product
reviews is quite simple - if I cant honestly say something nice then
I probably wont say anything at all. Submitting a product for
review doesnt guarantee a mention, but if the item offers good
value or something exceptionally clever or comes with a great
routine, more often than not it will get some ink. As always, Syzygy
accepts no advertising.
Syzygy co-op mailings are a service provided to friends in the
business, at no charge (other than postage and a few bucks to my
teenage daughter for affixing address stickers to envelopes).
240
Wise Words:
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Volume 3, Number 14
Wolf
Issue # 50
In Search of Truth

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
An important survival skill is knowing

when it is appropriate to misstate the truth
and when it is essential to be totally
factual, asserts the Mentalist. The candid
answer to ones spouse asking, Am I
looking older? can be as hazardous as is
a false answer to, Where were you on
the night of June 22nd?.
The performer continues, Even
business dealings require situational honesty. Once an agreement
is reached, only the facts should be of concern to the signatories.
In negotiations, however, each side is expected to conceal its
strategy and goals. Those who teach negotiation techniques (and
poker) claim it is possible to determine the veracity of a
negotiators statements. Would you like to see for yourselves?
There are nods around the table.
Each of you probably has a business or calling card, the
mindreader says. More than likely, only one side is printed and
the paper stock is white. Well need several different cards of the
same type. They neednt be yours, so if you have collected some
from colleagues and clients we can still use them. They must all
appear identical when turned printing side down.
After receiving more than a dozen cards from those seated
around the table, the performer mixes them and then deals five
cards, face down, in a row on the table. To one of the guests he
says, Lift up any one of the cards and read what is printed on it.
Thank you. Replace it in the row. Good. Mix all five together so
none of us will have a clue as to which one is in your mind, then
arrange them in a row again, this time with the faces up.
Extend your index finger like a pointer, directs the Mentalist,
and allow me to move it over the row
of five business cards. Please focus
your mind on the one you read but
Wolf is an Austrian
otherwise do nothing which would
who lives in Italy,
betray your thought. The
performs in France,
mindreader guides the pointed finger
and speaks perfect
over each of the five business cards.
English. What a
Finally, he lowers the finger to touch
combination!
one. It is the very same card the
participant read earlier! The test is
repeated, again with complete success.
While collecting the business cards, secretly place five of them
in numerical order, based on the last digit in each cards phone
number. Your shuffle does not disturb the order of the five which
are dealt into a row. When your participant reads one, its position
within the sequence is noted. After the cards are face up, its an
easy task to finger the proper one.
241
Dusty Miller
The Telltale Timber

Psychokinesis, or mind over matter, relates the
Mentalist, is known by its initials, PK. The search for
true PK has examined everything from Ouija boards and
table-tipping at parties to experiments on the microgram
level in laboratories. Recent research has indicated that
there is an amazing connection between poltergeist
phenomena and out-of-body experiences.
As he puts in place the paraphernalia for the
demonstration, the performer continues, The purpose of
an experiment in PK is to isolate a small object
from outside influence such as random breezes,
vibrations, and so forth, and then attempt to
induce movement in that object employing mental
concentration alone. That should explain why we
use a heavy support to suspend a tiny weight in
the center of such a thick-walled glass. Only the
focus of our efforts, the small weight at the end of
the thread pendulum, is light enough to be affected
by the powers of thought.
After placing the glass, block, and pendulum in
position, the Mentalist removes his watch and
places it on the table in front of him. He extends
his hands to those on either side and asks them to
feel for his pulse. In a few moments, both
participants indicate that they are counting his
heartbeats.
Please take no alarm, warns the mindreader, if you feel my
pulse flutter or weaken. That is only an indication that my energy
is directed outside of my body. Indicate to the others, with the tap
of your finger on the table, the rhythm of my pulse. When the
heartbeat stops, the pendulum should chime against the glass.
Lets begin...
Taking a deep breath and letting it out in a slow, controlled
sigh, the Mentalist-now-Medium closes his eyes and slumps slightly
in his chair. The participants holding his wrists tap their fingers in
unison as they count his pulse.
The pulses in the wrists become unsynchronized; the left-hand
participant taps but the other has lost the pulse. A moment passes
and the phenomena shifts; its the person on the right who feels a
steady heartbeat while the left side monitor sits silently amazed.
Suddenly, both participants indicate that the Mentalists
heartbeat has ceased. No heartbeat can be detected. They go for
several seconds without feeling a pulse.
Please turn to TIMBER, page 243
242
An acceptable
premise for the
wooden block and
glass gives new life
to an old friend, The
Telekinetic Timber .
TIMBER, continued
Dusty Miller
regularly performs
as The Storyteller
in Scottish castles
for select dinner
groups.
All eyes turn to the tiny pendulum in the glass.

Slowly and noiselessly, the wooden block suspending the
threaded pendulum tips away from the glass, defying gravity to
first move itself totally perpendicular to the table and finally
falling to the table with a startling crash!
Apparently awakened from his trance by the noise, the
Mentalist opens his eyes and allows himself a secret smile.
One of the most annoying properties of the self-tipping prop sold
as The Telekinetic Timber is the lack of consistent timing. The
nature of the hidden mechanism makes it sensitive to temperature;
the warmer the environment the more quickly the movement
occurs. Its impossible to create a well-rehearsed routine because
the timing can change depending on the ambient temperature!
Variations in the angle at which it is placed multiply the deviation.
Because of the pulse-taking business, the presence of a
wristwatch on the table is no longer a concern. Obviously, youve
removed it to make finding your pulse easier and to be of help in
timing your heartbeat. Of course, just before your performance,
you have also timed the tipping timber so you know within 3 or 4
seconds how long it takes to make the plunge. As you slump in
your chair, your eyes flutter closed, but not so much you cant see
the sweep second hand of your wristwatch. Begin your final
pulse-stopping about ten seconds before the tip.
Look for a small, but fairly heavy, thick sided, pilsner
style glass for this setup. Use a very lightweight thread to
suspend the weight as a pendulum. The weight should just
take the curl out of the thread. Remember, it operates
against the center-of-gravity shift in the timber, so keep it
as light as possible. Attach the thread at the base of the
timber with a thumbtack and loop the pendulum
thread over the top of the block and into the glass.
Because the dangling weight must be
centered within the glass, you are insured of
consistency when leaning it against the
timber; it will always be placed at the exact
same angle. That makes your timing much
more accurate.
Make a double pulse stopper by attaching
two small 1.5 inch rubber balls to elastic loops,
worn as shown in the diagram. Position the
balls outside your armpits until you are ready to begin. They wont
show under a jacket. Immediately prior to the performance, you
can easily adjust the balls into position against the arteries under
your arms while placing a pen in your inside coat pocket.
A slight inward pressure stops the blood flow and the wrist
pulse. Make the adjustments very subtle; the people holding your
wrists can easily feel any purposeful movements of your arms.
243

Not long ago, a subscriber e-mailed to ask about a term used in
describing one of the routines published (Whenever-Anywhere,
issue #36, page 171). He was unfamiliar with the concept of a
progressive anagram. Since there may be others who would like to
know, Ill repeat my response here.
A progressive anagram is a methodology which allows one to
build a special word set from letters in an ordered list, starting with
a word which contains the first letter. The next word is built using
the first two letters in the key list while the following word uses the
initial three letters, etc..
So the list A, T, E, R, N, S, O, I, L would generate the words a,
at, ate, rate, rante(d), astern, treason, notaries, & relations; a
progressive anagram.
Most schemes substitute longer words for those which have
fewer than 5 letters, adding letters not on the recited list to build
those longer words (for example - the d in ranted).
Such a list might be: (key letters in CAPITALS): plAyground,
calculATor, dynAmiTE, TREAdmill, ouTlANdER, bRAiNSTEm,
TREASON, NOTARIES, & RELATIONS. One additional word,
which does not have the first key letter in it, for example,
birthstone, is added to the top of the list.
In a routine using a progressive anagram, it is critical that we
conceal the fact that the participant is selecting a word from a
limited universe. To that end, entire books have been published in
which the text contains only short words (5 or fewer letters) except
for those from the key list. What looks like a free choice, Pick any
challenging word - 6 letters or more - from this book is really a
force from a short range of possibilities.
In performance, once a word is selected, the performer recites a
series of letters (the key letter list) which he perceives to be in the
target word. Each time the respondant answers in the affirmative,
the performer continues. When given a No, he stops and gives the
word which contains all the letters recited up to that time.
If the No comes on the first word (because it doesnt contain an
A), he knows the selected word is birthstone. Should he recite A,
T, E, R... and be told that the selected word doesnt contain an N
then treadmill is the choice.
Next week is the annual Meeting Of The Minds, the annual
conclave of the Psychic Entertainers Association, held this year in
Minneapolis. Ill be there - renewing old friendships and making
new ones; observing the state of our art; sharing scotch and cigars
with others of discriminating taste; presenting the SYZYGYs
BEST!, Volume 2 lecture for the final time; and even encouraging
potential contributors to share the good stuff with Syzygys
readers.
Youll get a full report in the next issue.
244
Wise Words:
Life is a great,
big canvas; throw
all the paint on it
that you can.
Danny Kaye
Volume 3, Number 15
Dave Arch
Issue # 51
Turning the Tarot

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
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Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
The Tarot cards, explains the

Mentalist to his tableside guest, are
best known for their use as an oracle
in telling fortunes. He spreads the
cards he holds face up on the table
and continues, There are 22 cards in
the Major Arcana and each is
associated with certain aspects of life,
such as love, money, and health. This
card for example (pointing to the
Judgement card) relates to
accountability while The Sun is an
indicator of happiness. Others relate
to intuition, caution, transformation,
protection, uncertainty, and so forth.
Which one do you choose to be your destiny card?
The reply is, The Tower.
Gathering the cards and spreading them face down in front of
his participant, the reader continues, Well only use half of them,
so pull eleven cards out of the row, please. The helper complies.
Putting the unused portion aside, the performer says, In
Numerology, ones name is reduced to a simple number which
indicates ones personality and purpose. Its equally interesting to
combine the best elements of both Tarot and Numerology. What is
your name? The answer is, Susan.
We will use your name to provide a structure for your reading,
Susan, says the Mentalist. Moving one card from the top of the
packet to the bottom for each letter in the name, he spells S-U-S-AN, stopping on the fifth, N, card and placing it face up on top of
the packet. He delivers a short reading based on that card then
repeats the name spelling and card moving, beginning with the
just interpreted top card which
remains face up. Each time Susans
It is the segmented
name is spelled, the card representing
reading
you deliver
the final letter is turned face up.
which provides the
After spelling, moving, and turning
entertainment; the
ten cards, the reader remarks, Make
final revelation
a wish; if the final face down card is
makes it memorable.
the one to which you were earlier
drawn, your wish will likely come
true.
The last card is turned over - it is her destiny card, The Tower!
Using the above procedure, if her name has ten or fewer letters,
the original top card of the eleven used will always be the final one
turned face up. Cull her destiny card to the top when you gather
the cards for your face down spread. If she pulls it into her pile,
note its position so you can bring it to the top; discard the other
pile. If it remains in the spread, her pile becomes the discards.
245
Bruce Bernstein
Emergency Mentalism
Prior to the performance, the Mentalist distributes dozens of his
business cards to members of the audience. Participants are asked
to write several types of information on their cards - a question they
wish answered, a simple drawing, a number between 1 and 1000, a
fantasy, etc., and then sign their names or initials.
One member of the audience is asked to collect and retain the
cards for the performance.
During the show, that person brings the stack of cards to the
platform. They are shuffled and placed in full view, written side
down, on a table.
The performer asks his helper to take the top card. He is asked
to describe the nature of the writing on the card. Its a three-digit
number, he says.
There is a book on the table, right there next to the pile of
business cards, mentions the mind reader. Use the numbers on
that card, in any order, to make up a page number. Then turn to
that page in the book. The performer accurately spells out the first
or last word on the page, describes the scene set in the first
paragraph, or duplicates the illustration on the page!
Take the next card, instructs the Mentalist. In general, what
is the type of information written there? The participant replies,
A question has been written.
The performer requests, Fold that card in half, so the writing is
on the inside, and then hand it to me, please. Taking the card in
hand, the Mentalist leaves the stage as if being pulled by the folded
card until he stops in front of one member of the audience, who is
handed the card. He is asked, Did the question find the
questioner? The reply is, Yes. Whereupon the Mentalist fully
answers the question, as verified by the participant.
A third card is selected. It bears a design, remarks the
onstage helper. The mind reader picks up a drawing pad and pen,
sketching a few quick strokes on the top page. As he continues, he
says to the participant, Please take the pad and pen on the table
and reproduce that drawing full size. When both drawings are
complete they are compared - they are identical! The Mentalist
tears the page bearing the drawing from his pad, walks into the
audience and hands it to one of those seated nearby. Is that a
replication of your thought? he asks. Yes, is the reply.
Bruce reminds us that, on a technical level, this routines
method is quite simple but it will take a fair dose of performing
savvy to make it play. In other words, it is a perfect vehicle for the
presentation of Mentalism.
Please turn to EMERGENCY, page 247
246
EMERGENCY, continued
Bruce shares this

routine from among
the twenty published
in his brand new
book, Psi-Kicks.
Take a stack of 20 or so of your business cards and trim their

long edges about 2mm. This makes the cards slightly narrower.
Another half-dozen or so are also trimmed, but on a slight angle on
a line from one corner to a point about 2mm in from the edge on the
opposite end, along the long edge of the card. This makes those
cards into strippers. When they are mixed in with the others,
they are easily located and pulled (stripped) out of the pack in a
cutting motion thus bringing them to the top of the pack.
Each of the tapered cards is also marked as in Pseudo
Psychometry. Nail nicks, pencil dots, or altered postal code
numbers are the standard methods to mark and identify them.
During your preshow walk among the audience distributing
cards, give the marked cards to persons you will remember,
suggesting to one of them, Make a simple drawing. To another
you instruct, Write a three digit number. For each marked card
you distribute, you request a different simple task.
After all the cards have been handed out, ask one person to
gather them (after a decent interval) and bring them to you. When
he complies, take them in order to turn all of them writing-sidedown. Give the pack a cut to bring the tapered cards to the top.
Thats when you ask your helper, Do you have anything to keep
these in? As he looks into your eyes to reply to your question, palm
the tapered cards (its really very simple since theres no heat on
you). Reach into your pocket to get an envelope and deposit the
copped cards there. Hand the envelope to your helper, asking him
to place the cards inside. Hell bring them on stage when you ask.
With the held-out cards safely in your pocket, retreat to a
private spot and memorize the information written on them.
Because they are marked you know exactly which person supplied
each piece of information.
For any three digits, there are only six possible combinations
which could be a page number (i.e.: 148, 184, 481, 418, 814, 841),
probably fewer if your book has under 300 pages. Take a few
moments backstage to memorize the contents of each page.
Depending upon which section of the book is open, and perhaps
whether hes looking at an odd or even numbered page, you know
which response to make.
When your helper brings the envelope onstage its a simple
matter to add the held-out cards before you give the packet a riffle
shuffle or two. One cut brings the tapered cards back to the top.
Editors note: Ive added a couple of presentational angles to the
routine as it was written in Psy-Kicks. To get a copy of this
outstanding and highly recommended 56 page, spiral bound book,
($30.00 + $2.50 postage) order directly from Bruce Bernstein at 773
286-3645. He will give you an address to which you send your check.
247

I write this column as I am flying home from the 1997 Meeting of
the Minds, the annual conclave of the Psychic Entertainers
Association held this year in Minneapolis, MN. What a weekend!
The first order of business is to acknowledge the creative efforts
of a living legend in our craft, Al Mann, who pointed out that one of
the routines in the now-retired SYZYGYs BEST! Volume 2 lecture,
The Bold & Beautiful Prophecy, is quite similar to an item in his
Tesseract manuscript published several years prior. I am convinced
that the likeness is a case of coincidental development, but the
official record should reflect Als earlier application of the Tossed
Out Deck principle as applied to written predictions. While the
subject is at hand, you are encouraged to contact Mr. Mann for a
catalog of his extensive (and exclusive) line of books and
manuscripts; they are a treasure trove of information to be found
nowhere else. His phone number is 304.947.7730.
Recipients of this years Dunninger Award for Excellence in the
Performance of Mentalism are Jeff and Tessa Evason. Anyone
who has ever had the pleasure of seeing this charming couple light
up the stage will agree that the award is in deserving hands.
A kaleidoscope of convention recollections: Marc Salems
incredible newspaper revelation which had all of us guessing;
Charles Pecor center stage, Southern style; Bruce Bernsteins
return to the lecture scene in cerebral style; Banacheks boundless
energy; a towering, smiling dynamo named Gary Kurtz; gracious
hospitality personified in Chuck and Betsy Hickok; Joe Marino
- a class act; Richard Webster surprising us with entendre times
two; Blair Robertsons hypnotizing delivery; Dick Steiner
soaring to the top of the charts (with a billet); the blind, breathless
Dave Arch (and Max). And more, and more. To those absent from
the above recounting, please take no offense. There were so many
talents and friends and there is truly so little time and space.
I can say without fear of successful contradiction that not only
were this years performances and lectures the best mix in my tenyear memory of the P.E.A. but also the quality of the membership is
rising as well. To those who would apply for admission to this
select group, be warned - the bar has been raised. If you wish to
partake of the delights described, start building your Curriculum
Vitae now. Knowing someone is no longer sufficient to achieve
membership. If youre seriously interested in becoming a member of
the Psychic Entertainers Association, contact Doug Dyment for a
membership packet at 415.647.7754. Start early - it aint easy.
Just a hint to sweeten the tease - the convention for the year
2000 will be held on my home turf, Phoenix (Scottsdale, actually),
Arizona. I personally promise it will be the event against which
every future (and past) M.O.T.M. will be compared.
Youll want to be there.
248
Wise Words:
Magicians search
for new methods;
Mentalists pursue
new effects;
Psychic
Entertainers
strive for greater
relevance.
Pascal de
Clermont
Volume 3, Number 16
Jack Dean
Issue # 52
The Fool That

Tricked Einstein

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
It is said, begins the Mentalist,

that certain gamblers can look at a
deck of cards and tell if there are any
missing. Gypsies are said to have the
same skill in detecting the worth of a
pocket full of change.
The performer hefts a canvas
bankers bag from within his case and
sets it on the table. After pulling open
the drawstring top, he withdraws a
handful of coins, trickles them back into the bag, and states,
Silver dollars. One of you will have a chance to take a handful
home.
Looking out over the audience, the mind reader asks, Who
wants a chance for free money? Raise your hands, please. The
largest hand gets to bring its owner on stage.
A participant is welcomed to the platform and introduced to the
audience, The terms of this deal are simple you reach into the
bag and grasp as many of the coins as you can hold in one hand.
Then Ill take some, too. Ill tell you exactly how many coins you
hold or you can keep your handful and mine. Interested?
The participant reaches into the bag for a mammoth handful of
coins, followed by the Mentalist who takes a smaller number. He
compares his closed fist to that of the participant, then counts his
coins one at a time.
You have twice as many coins as I do, plus 3, claims the
performer. I have 12. Double that is 24, plus 3 is 27. Lets count.
The participant has exactly 27
coins! The silver proved elusive, but
youll take home the gold, says the
This is a designed
Mentalist, giving the participant a
sequel to Korans
small bag full of gold covered
Jackpot Coins The
chocolate coins.
Trick That Fooled
The real coins weigh one ounce
Einstein.
each; enough are in the bag for it to
weigh exactly 100 ounces. Small
metal washers are sewn into the
bottom of the bag make the weight exact. After you take your
small handful of coins, the bag is placed on a concealed digital tenpound postal scale (found in office supply stores). Add your coin
count to the number of ounces shown on the scale; deduct that
total from 100 to learn the participants coin count.
A wording similar to that in the Koran presentation is used to
obfuscate the issue by blurring the presentations together.
249
Andy Leviss
Roll Tape!
Like it or not, begins the Mentalist, speaking
to his house-party guests, television, has become the
most ubiquitous medium, and perhaps the most
powerful, on the planet.
Displaying a copy of the current TV Guide, the performer
continues, With the addition of cable and satellite reception, there
are now dozens of choices for every hour of the day; so many, in
fact, that often we must videotape one interesting program while
watching another, live. He inserts a VHS cassette in the video
cassette player. Sometimes, we record a program to keep in our
personal video libraries, as is the case with this video tape.
I was away from home not long ago when I taped one of my
favorite programs, explains the mind reader. Does anyone have
an idea of what that show might be? No, not PSI factor or The X
Files, but those might be good guesses. Perhaps someones intuitive
response might be more accurate.
The performer removes his wristwatch and asks one guest to
stand next to him for a moment. He pulls out the winding stem of
the watch and spins it, showing the participant how easily the
hands are turned to set the time. Hold the watch face down and
give the crown a few turns, directs the Mentalist, until no one can
know where the hands have moved. When your intuition directs,
push in the stem to set the watch. The helper complies.
That time will be used to select a program from among these
listings, the performer explains. TV is built around half-hour time
Andy has a unique
segments, so if the watch indicates a time in the middle of a
way of looking at old
segment, such as 3:17, then well use the 3:00 oclock listing to find
methods through
that program. If the time is, for example, 11:59, backtrack to the
fresh eyes. Not bad
start of that segment, the 11:30 time block. Clear?
for someone still in
And now a day of the week. As Im riffling the TV Guides
high school!
pages, please say, Stop to select a day. The mind reader slowly
flips through the pages, stops when asked, and shows the selected
page to his helper. Is your time segment on this page? asks the
Mentalist. No? How about the next page? The next?
When the participant acknowledges that a page displaying his
selected time segment has been found, the performer rips the page
out of the booklet and hands it to him, instructing, Select a
program which is broadcast in the half-hour segment your intuition
guided you to, tell us the title, and push play on the VCR.
The participant browses the listings and says, Star Trek. He
pushes the play button. The television screen flickers to life and
the sound track is heard, Space - the final frontier. These are the
voyages of the starship Enterprise...
Please turn to TAPE, page 251
250
TAPE, continued
A combination of methods forces the selection of the pre-taped
program.
Many wristwatches which do not have a day/date function,
some of the Swatch brand watches come to mind, have stems
which pull out to two detents. The second click-stop engages the
mechanism to move the hands; the first click-stop, otherwise
reserved for setting the date, does nothing.
You show your participant how to spin the stem to adjust the
hands and how to push in the stem to set the time. Your
demonstration places the hands in position to force the time of
your television segment. When you hand the watch to him face
down to be set to a random time, the stem is pulled to the first
detent; spinning the stem burns calories but doesnt alter the time
set on the watch.
Locate a page in your TV Guide which has, in a column next to
the bound edge and at the bottom of an even-numbered page, only
one listing for a particular half-hour segment. Make sure that
page does not have the chart for the entire prime-time schedule.
You may need the patience to search through a few weeks issues
until coincidence favors you with an appropriate selection.
Videotape that program and, if you wish to perform the routine
more than once, purchase additional copies of the TV Guide.
To force a page place, between your force page and the prior
page, a thick coin at the bottom of the booklet as close to the
binding (spine) as it will go. Hold the booklet by the bottom
corner, squeezing the coin to hold it in place. The coin forms a
natural break in the pages. With your other hand, pull the pages
(by the outside edges) toward you and let them riffle off your
fingers toward the participant. When he says, Stop you release
all the pages before the coin. A little practice to get the timing
right makes this a very easy task. (Editors note: Thanks to
Christopher Caldwell for reminding me about this clever ruse.)
Open the booklet at the forced pages as if you are curious about
where you were stopped. Youll have ample opportunity to allow
the coin to slip into your hand.
Show the left page of the opened TV Guide to your participant
and ask him if he sees a program in his selected (forced) time
segment on the page. He wont, because you stopped at the pages
prior to that spot. Point to the right page and ask again. Once
more, hell not see the proper time segment. Turn the page. At the
bottom of the left, even numbered, page is your force program.
When your participant indicates hes found a listing at the
appropriate time, tear out the page and hand it to your
participant. Ask him to select any program running in the
appropriate time segment. The audience doesnt know his choice is
restricted to only one program.
251

The preceding week has been a very exciting one. Seven
members of the renowned Six and One-Half (a.k.a. the Desert Brain
Storm) travelled as a group to Sacramento and spent four days with
Mike Maxwell (of A-1 Multimedia) videotaping a three-volume
anthology of killer Mentalism, featuring performances and
explanations from Larry Becker, Docc Hilford, Mark Strivings,
Christopher Caldwell, Kenton Knepper, Gene Urban, and
yours truly, Lee Earle. It is scheduled for release this winter.
Remember the challenge idea mentioned a few issues back in
which a premise would be given to several of the round-table groups
around the country to see whose implementation is the most
creative? Well, heres the first round: Method - Five table tennis
balls in an opaque crepe bag. One ball is spray painted matte
black. When the balls are mixed by massaging the bag with ones
hand, four of them are naturally slippery but the painted balls
surface is not, so its simple to detect by feel when the black ball is
removed by a participant. Take it from there. The deadline for
submitting routines is September 30, 1997.
The newest SYZYGYs BEST! lecture, Volume 3, debuts in San
Antonio, TX on Wednesday, July 23rd (contact Ted Dearinger for
info, 210.366.4068) and moves on to Tyler, TX for Friday, July 25th
(contact Bruce Thompson, 903.876.4825). If youre in the area,
come on by, Id love to see you there.
As I travel around the world with these lectures, I am
continuously asked about SYZYGYs demographics. Specific data
will remain closely held, but the following information may prove
interesting. After the U.S., the countries with the greatest number
of subscribers are (in descending order): the U.K., Canada,
Germany, Italy, Australia, France, Ireland, Austria, New Zealand,
Singapore, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, Belgium, Finland,
Israel, Japan, Norway, Argentina, The Bahamas, Denmark, India,
Netherlands Antilles, Portugal, Republic of China, Scotland, South
Africa, and Switzerland. I cant release data about specific
subscribers, so please dont ask.
SYZYGY has plans afoot to produce and promote a touring,
weekend workshop for aspiring professionals and others who want
to move their performances up to the next level. Each event will
focus on Mentalism-specific platform skills, promotion & booking,
and positioning in the marketplace. I have had early discussions
with some potential presenters who are experts in their fields and
the early outlook is promising. Our intention is to provide a highenergy, first-class weekend which will set a new standard for the
profession. Registration fees will be commensurate with real
world seminars and will be subject to a money-back guarantee.
The event could hit the road in the Summer of 1998, with a
maximum of 12 dates available, one per month. If youre interested,
get in touch; I have a hunch the schedule will fill up quickly.
252
Wise Words:
Where would we
be without
rhetorical
questions?
Anonymous
Herb Dewey
Mindblowing
Psychic
Readings, II

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
40's Male Single You

would be compatible with a
woman that has had a failed
marriage behind her, and
that has either one or two
children, and the reason
that this relationship would
succeed is because you are the
good guy, you see, and youre
going to heal the wounds, youre
going to not be abusive if she has
been with somebody who has
been abusive in her past,
that you are not going to
take advantage of her,
and that you probably
would make the
commitment to her.
40's Male Married
I would sense that youre
at a point in your life now where perhaps you are not in as great
physical shape as you were ten years ago. You have become more
organized, more practical and more independent and more
expressive, and probably more disciplined than you were as a
younger person. I would see you perhaps falling into the category
of being a work-a-holic. That you find
that your wife thinks that you do not
These minigive her as much quality time as you
readings, continued
should. You are more involved in
from Quarterly
work and making money and
Supplement #11, are
cultivating a cash flow, then you have sampled from Herbs
newest book.
been at any other time.
50's Female Single I would
sense that you will not go through life
alone. It appears to me that you pretty much have come to some
conclusions that you may well be alone in life, but I dont think
that is what the universe has in store for you. The reason I say
that is you are more attractive than you give yourself credit for.
Probably more well-balanced. You are a lot wiser than you were
10, 20, 30 years ago. That you are not a manipulative lady, you are
not a game player, you are not a trouble maker.
253
50's Female Married You probably have been told that you
have a green thumb and that you can grow anything. That you
have a problem with keeping the weight off, and perhaps now
that you are not as thin as you used to be. People see you as very
charming, an excellent hostess, that you are not vain, that you
are not looking at yourself in the mirror all day, that you dont try
to dress like youre 20 years old, people around you have a
genuine respect for you.
50's Male Single You are creative, self-expressive, and I
would suspect that you are more disciplined at this age than you
were at 40 or 30 years old. You are probably more in touch with
yourself. And obviously youve reached the conclusion that you
pretty much will determine your own destiny.
50's Male Married You feel that your health is probably
OK. Youve got the personality, youve got the brains, youve got
the charm, your personality seems to be that you are smooth, easy
going, that you dont lose your temper easily, that you are able to
debate different issues, that you are able to pretty much see both
sides of whatever situation exists.
60's Female Single Youve been your own person, youve
set your own hours, you do pretty much what you want to do and
you certainly dont want to be dependent on your children. You
dont want to be dependent or co-dependent on other people
around you. You go through life and the fact of the matter is that
most of the men that you meet at church or at social gatherings
probably do not impress you.
60's Female Married You see yourself as a person that has
been transformed from a younger woman into an older woman.
Again, the typical late bloomer. You are now more capable of
taking chances than you would have as a child. You are more
outspoken now than as a teenager, and continually would wonder
is that all there is? Is that all there is in my life? It seems that
you do not have the amount of romance in your life that you once
had.
60's Male Single I would think that its fair to say you have
overcome obstacles within your life. You have a way of seeing
things clearly. That you have overcome health issues, that youve
overcome financial issues, so in some ways its reasonable to say
that you are your own person. Your personality is not likely to
change. Your self-esteem, your self-confidence, is not likely to
change.
60's Male Married You try to fight the biological aging
process by acting younger, being younger, and wondering is this
all that there is? Youve been the married person. You know your
mate probably better than any other person knows her. Its not
been a totally easy marriage. Its had its ups and downs. There
are no relationships born in Heaven.
Overweight Male or Female I perceive you to be a decent
individual and usually I can tell if somebody is an overeater.
254
Usually I can tell if someone is really doing themselves a great

deal of damage by impulsive eating or compulsive eating. I really
dont sense that with you. I feel that what has happened is that
your subconscious mind has sent a message to your conscious mind
for you to put on some weight. And it will be sort of like insulation,
if you will. It is sort of like a protective security blanket. By being
overweight it may keep you safe.
Handicapped Male or Female Handicaps are there. Its
almost like a negative seed that has been planted in your mind. If
youre told as a young person that youll never accomplish anything.
Well, perhaps you wont accomplish anything if you absorb that
negativity. The word handicap has different interpretations and
there are many different elements relative to handicap.
Asian Female Your mother probably didnt want you to
marry until you were 30 years and probably have no more than one
child, and hopefully that would be a boy child. I would feel that
somehow, I would sense in your language your name would be the
name of a bird, I dont know if that would be a hummingbird, or
that would be a whippoorwill, or a nightingale, but I think that
somehow your ethnic first name would be a derivative of a bird.
Hispanic Female You have an above-average way of
presenting yourself. You seem to be neat, clean, well-groomed,
articulate, and I would sense a lot of books around you which would
indicate an education. But I also would feel, and I am not sure if I
am sensing from your voice or from your touch or just the essence of
you, but I feel that you are going to accomplish many things in your
life that perhaps you dont think are possible.
Physically Attractive Female You will always intimidate
males and they will always see you as having an invisible chip on
your shoulder. Its reasonable to say that no man shall own you,
possess you or control you. No man is going to have you jump
through hoops at the count of three. You are not the typical
bombshell with no education. You are educated and certainly the
major issues in your life would be men. And if nine out of ten men
do not impress you the one that does would be the challenge.
Gay or Lesbian My belief is throughout your life, youve had to
overcome adversity. I think youve always been sort of outside the
loop, on a different mental level then people around you. Very
rarely have you been understood completely as far as who you are
and what youre all about. You will have faced a great many
obstacles within your life, a great deal of adversity within your life
Black Female I feel that when you are dealing with your main
man it is a monogamous relationship. Youd go to hell and back for
the right person. As long as there is no physical abuse or mental
abuse or emotional abuse, you would do whatever is possible to
keep the relationship happy. You would probably live with him
before you marry him. He may not be the typical male to send roses.
I dont sense that he likes to send flowers or would be a great
communicator relative to the affectionate things that some people
say.
255
Editors Note: These readings (and those in QS #11) are excerpts

from Herbs book, Mindblowing Psychic Readings (available
from Mark Sky, 732.750.4377). To illustrate the incredible depth in
Herbs readings, heres a full-length example, reduced to fit the page.
40s Female Single I would feel that regardless of the amount of men that you have experienced in your life, I would still see you as the one-man woman. Through
no fault of your own you have attracted men, or magnetized men to you, that didnt deserve you in the first place.
You are able at this point in your life to know, or have a knowing, if there is any potential with the person, and you will probably know that within the first couple of
minutes.
Somebody has shown you a photograph of a male, because I believe that there has been some match making or networking done, and you have probably experienced
at least one or two blind dates. And its just not worked out. The analogy I would like to create with you, its sort of like the lady thats trying to have a baby, trying to have
a baby, trying to have a baby, and she tries forever and she cant have a baby, she decides on adopting a child and then she gets pregnant.
There is a similar chemistry going on here because you will meet your soulmate when you least expect to meet him. You will meet him at a place where you would not
have ordinarily gone. It will be a last minute decision in going to this place, and this male is going to be unlike the male that you would normally date. By that I mean, if
you normally date lets say brown eyed Italians, normally, at least in my mind they look Italian, and maybe Hispanic, but if you normally date that type, your soulmate will
end up having blue eyes and blond hair and conversely I think the opposite is true as well.
I think that you have become frustrated. Everybody looks at you, especially family members, that wonder if youre going to be married. I would suspect that you have
a failed marriage or a long term relationship behind you, or an engagement that was broken. You dont like being around drinkers or alcoholic types, so that you have a
tendency not to want to go to the clubs and the bars, because all you meet there are losers that want to know your Zodiac sign and then is it your place or mine?
You have become somewhat more selective. Youve been spending a great deal more time relative to your work situation.
Biologically you would be within the body of a younger woman, I would sense from your energy that you are young at heart.
You keep yourself young in that way. You probably attract younger men to you as well. You have had the opportunity of dating 23 or 24 year old males. But there
seems to be a bit of a generation gap where they are still into partying and youve been there and youve done that, you know. It would be somewhat of a different
philosophy, and for some reason lately you have been thinking about children or babies.
I would see you as a mother, I dont know if that would be biological or adopted, but I would see you as a mother. I further believe the next nine years for you are going
to be happier than the previous nine years. What you have learned in looking back in relationships... any relationship that youve had, you have learned something about
yourself. Not necessarily about the other person, but something about yourself as far as what the ground rules are, what the parameters are, what you allow, what you
dont allow, and over these last nine years that you have achieved a great deal of independence.
You have transformed into a much stronger person. You have become not so much judgemental, but you have been able to show excellent judgment. You have become
self-reliant. Youve always been intelligent, you are discriminating, and that it is interesting to me that you will attract men in your life to you, and there are going to be an
assortment of different types of males.
The type of male that you are best compatible with is somebody that is a nurturer, a big brother, gentle ben, teddybear type individual that will not try to press your
buttons or pull your strings, rather would be a counterpart, a male counterpart of you.
My first impression of you that you have a great deal of nervous energy, that you are not as relaxed as you should be, your mind is going in different places. You seem
to be very, very expressive, that you are able to be... your self esteem and self confidence is good.
I dont believe you would ever be the wild woman, you seem to be cultured, you seem to be refined, and you have the equivalent of higher education. You are certainly
very, very feminine. In that way, you probably couldnt be the bad guy if you tried to be. Because of your nervous energy, when this nervous energy is not used up, you make
impractical decisions, that you then become a dreamer, and there has got to be some physical outlet for this nervous energy, either through exercise or through walking, or
aerobics or dancing, something to break the pattern. And someone once said, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Somehow I feel that from the energy I get the
name John. That seems to be somehow to be significant, J. in your life.
As far as your future is concerned, you seem to be community oriented, you probably will volunteer some of your time to help others. You want a mature relationship
with a man that has already sown all of his oats, a man that is not going to go to the clubs, is not going to go out with the guys, and put their friendship above your
friendship. I dont mean to allude to the fact that youre high maintenance in a relationship, but you need a full time relationship, not part time. My sense is you have gone
that route before.
You are intensely sensual, so once a man has experienced you romantically, I doubt very much if he would want to go on to another woman. But I believe that you
must find balance within your life, because I think the energy that you give out is not always returned.
That you are always giving to another person, and you are not getting that back. I dont feel that you are obsessed with love, because you are different in many ways
now than when you were a younger woman.
It is nice to have love and companionship, and youre looking for the fire works, and the sparks, and the electricity, and I feel that would be a male in your life who has
been a friend. Who cares for you very much, yet you cannot bring yourself to be in love with this person, because all the necessary components are not there. And I think
with this male is somebody that you see frequently and perhaps on a day to day basis as far as a working situation, but he would see you as a fantasy, or he would see you
as his female counter part or soulmate, and he would share with you his feeling for you. But it seems, it is almost like an Oriental paradox, where you pursue the male that
is tied up with somebody else and this male pursues you, and you may even have a love or a fondness for him, but certainly this male that pursues you currently, you are
not in love with.
Yet, logically he could probably provide for you, the material things within your life and give you the emotional security. Probably what is lacking is any lust,
sensuality, eroticism, or passion because with you being a very passionate woman, as far as past lives are concerned, I think that you have been around during the time of
the Egyptians, and during the time of the Ancient Greeks.
You would probably make an excellent detective, I think you have an investigative mind. I dont think that you miss much. You will enter into an area of affluence in
your life, and prominence, and you will be well known in your community simply because youre community oriented. You are family oriented, and you really should be in a
marriage, not being single.
Over this next few months, my feeling is that the person you will marry you will meet on a weekend, either a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. You will experience things
with this man that you wouldnt ordinarily experience.
If it would take you three months to become intimate with a man, normally in a relationship, because you put certain restrictions on the relationship, when you meet
this love of yours, this future love, you could be with him three days, or three dates, and be intimate with him, because hell be different than those around you.
The most significant thing about him is going to be his eyes. He would be able to look right through you, and I think the touch of his hand is going to create a great
deal of chemistry, so that hell be different than any other person. You will feel inspired by being with this person.
He is not going to be a person that is going to be attention getting, he is not going to be a loudmouth, a flamboyant male. He will be a person that has been cut loose by
another woman, or he would cut loose himself from another woman, because hes been in a relationship or had a wife that cheated on him, and I sense that he found his wife
in a compromising position with another man.
Where this man that you are going to marry is a man of honor, he needs fidelity, he needs loyalty in the woman he would be with. He is not particularly concerned
with how much you weight or what your measurements are, but rather what goes on inside of you.
You have a tendency of intimidating men that come into your aura, you want to be reasonably cautious, because I say to you, that when you meet a man that is going
to be a little bit shy, or a little bit blushing, or a little bit reluctant, if you cultivate this new relationship, it will end up in marriage.
I dont believe its going to be a long-term courtship. Once the two of you have experienced each other, I would think within a three month period of time, the dialogue
will be living together within a time frame and then married.
And I assume that if you live with a guy for six months and you havent poisoned him with your cooking, I suspect that it could be a long term relationship. So exciting
things that are going to happen within your life, but know this, in your next relationship or in the relationship that you are currently in, that is going to turn into marriage.
You will be the leader, you wont be the follower. I think you will be the teacher, not the student. You will be in control and not controlled. So it will be somewhat
different than any other relationship that you have had.
As far as the person is concerned, I would see him to have a sensitivity, a mellowness about him, where he would not be aggressive and take charge. So in that regard,
if this man would ask you out to dinner on a Saturday evening and you comply, he probably would assume that you would chose the place to have dinner.
He will be not so much dependent on you, but rather he would want you to be the one to make decisions in the relationship. Doesnt mean hes weak, and doesnt mean
hes afraid, he has always been searching for a strong woman, and you are going to be the woman for him.
So this is in your future. And what you must do is cut the cord to any relationship that is based on just physical pleasures, and cut the cord to any dead end streets,
and cut the cord to any losers and you have to clean up your act a little bit, because I think you are still dealing with a little excess baggage from the past.
You have got to wipe the slate clean now, and then basically move on in life and prepare yourself for the future, because its going to be a happy life and I would see
you in a marriage. Its going to be to a man whos got the mind of a computer, or the mind of an engineer.
256
Volume 3, Number 17
Dick Steiner
Issue # 53
The Ziploc Gizmo

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Reprints:
$2.50 per issue
Prior to the program, reminds the

Mentalist, I asked several
volunteers to write numbers
between 100 and 700 on
pieces of paper which were
subsequently collected. He
holds up a large, clear plastic
bag of the type which has an
interlocking, zipper style seal at
the top. It is filled to half its capacity
with hundreds of small slips of paper.
Speaking to someone near the front,
the performer holds open the top of the bag and continues, I
figured this is the best way to arrive at a random figure, fairly
selected and in view of everyone. Please reach in and grab a small
handful of the numbers. When the participant does as requested,
the bag is zipped closed and is given, along with a sizeable
paperback book, to a second person in the audience.
The performer asks, The numbers drawn from the bag
represent random pages in your book. As our first helper reads
aloud three or four of those numbers, please turn to the
corresponding pages. You must feel comfortable that not only are
the numbers randomly selected but also that each page is
different. The participants do as requested, satisfying everyone of
the fairness of the procedure.
Addressing his remarks to the person with the book, the mind
reader continues, Now that youve been left holding the bag, reach
into it and select one slip of paper to determine which page in the
book well use. Turn to that page and gaze at what you see printed
there.
At that point, the Mentalist is free
You cant beat a
to reveal the pages contents because,
utility
device which
despite the open handling, the
is not only easily
number is forced.
constructed but
Two plastic bags are used. One
inexpensive as well.
bag is modified by cutting off its
zipper at the top. Slide the trimmed
bag into the uncut bag, ensuring a
nice fit with no wrinkles. The top edge of the inner bag should be
just below the outer bags closure strip. Lay the nested bags flat
and turn the top of the outer bag down, as if rolling up a sleeve or
a cuff. This exposes the top edge of the inner, cut bag. A length of
clear sticky-on-both-sides tape is applied to the top edge of the cut
bag, running from one side to the other.
Please turn to GIZMO, page 260
257
Gregory Albright
Practice Contact
The subconscious, begins the Mentalist, constantly directs
the cognitive mind toward an implanted goal. Those who have a
focus for their efforts will almost always achieve their desires while
persons with no projected vision, are doomed to wander randomly
through life, hoping to hit a target at which they are not aiming.
I would be delighted to provide a simple illustration of the
inner focus principle, he continues, if someone here at the table
will assist. One person indicates he would like to participate.
The performer warns, When you first observe what we do, and
certainly in the retelling after, you may be tempted to describe
what we accomplish as a card trick. Please look deeper for the
real message of this demonstration. He spreads a deck of cards
face down before the participant and asks, Pull one of them out of
the spread and note its unique identity. Ill turn my head aside as
you show it to everyone. The participant does as instructed.
Slip your target image, the one you are looking at and
remembering, back in among the others, instructs the mind
reader. Then gather all the playing cards and mix them well. As
this takes place, the performer turns to face the participant. He
spreads the shuffled pack in a face up arc in front of the volunteer.
Extend your index finger and position your arm so it swings
comfortably over the entire spread of playing cards, directs the
Mentalist. For us to be successful, you must concentrate on the
location of your image in the spread. Take a moment to spot your
card. I will place my hand lightly on yours, moving it back and
forth slowly over the spread. In your mind only say to me, This
way. Over here! and mentally guide me in the proper direction.
When your finger is over your card, think to me, Stop! Go down..
Adding action to his instructions, the Mentalist, his eyes closed,
takes the participants wrist and slowly moves the helpers index
finger back and forth over the spread of cards, narrowing the arc of
movement until he lowers the extended digit onto one playing card.
It is the card in the participants mind!
Youll never have a better opportunity to practice your muscle
reading skills. With your eyes closed, move his hand back and forth
beginning with tiny initial movements. Feel the subtle resistance
when you edge his hand away from his point of focus and sense
how much more easily his finger moves in the right direction.
Your participant must honestly concentrate on the cards
location. It is also crucial that he has an investment in the
successful outcome of the demonstration; that means you share the
credit. If he infers a challenge you are certain to have difficulties.
Your backup method is simple use a marked deck to learn his
cards identity (just before you turn your head aside).
258
This routine is
presentationally
similar to the one in
issue #51, pg.241.
They make a great
one-two punch.
Banachek
A M-I-N-D for This & That

Taking pen in hand, the Mentalist writes a different letter of
the alphabet on the faces of four of his business cards. Everything
we do relates in some way to the intellect, thus the letters M-I-N-D
on the four cards, he says.
The performer takes a moment more and pens a short phrase
on the back of each card, taking care not to allow the others to read
what he has written. He places the four business cards in a row on
the table, adjusting each cards position with a jewelers precision.
Given what we know about human psychology, what appear to
be random choices may be exactly the opposite, he continues.
Milton Ericson, the brilliant researcher of hypnosis, has shown we
are all susceptible to many forms of influence and persuasion.
Directing his comments to one person seated at the table, the
performer advises, You are tasked to make what you believe to be
a free choice of one of the four letters. Perhaps it will be selected
because it is the same as your middle initial or maybe because it is
the only letter with a curve. It could be you will take the closest
letter or the one which is the most distant. Look this one has a
little smudge. Is it meant to attract your attention or to eliminate
that option because it is too obvious?
Looking the participant directly in the eye, the Mentalist
requests, Go ahead. Place your hand over one of those letters.
The participant covers the I card with his hand.
You chose that letter, says the performer, gathering the
remainder into his hands, not this letter. He turns the packet
of three over to show the writting on the bottom of the card
which reads, This letter! He continues, Nor this letter, nor
this letter, each time showing the same phrase written on the
back of the remaining cards, This letter!
Please look at whats written on the back of the card under
your hand, instructs the Mentalist, and wonder why you chose
that letter. On the card is written, That letter!
Write the phrase This letter! on the backs of the M and N
cards; the other two get the phrase, That letter! Once the choice
is made, gather the remaining cards so the one bearing the
remaining odd phrase matching his choice is in the center.
Position the cards for the magicians glide move and turn over
the packet of three to show the non-matching phrase on the bottom
card. Rotate the packet and perform the glide, apparently dealing
the bottom card onto the table. What actually happens is that
your fingers move the bottom card back just a bit and withdraw
the middle card instead. You are now free to repeat the same
actions to show the writing on the remaining two cards.
Adjust your choice of words to highlight the hidden phrase.
259

A number of my friends in the Psychic Entertainers Association
have asked why I decline to participate (or even lurk) in the groups
on-line, members-only Internet forum, so it seems sensible to
explain once, for everyone, my reasoning.
I have heard, via heresay, about the fabulous exchange of ideas
in those chats, and I would love to join in, but that is not to be. Part
of my function as SYZYGYs editor is to provide a presentational
framework for the ideas and routines submitted for publication. In
crafting those presentations, if I happen to duplicate (or just forget
the reference for) something mentioned by a participant in that
forum there would be hell to pay both from the original source
for appropriating his idea and from the P.E.A. itself, which insists
that material discussed under its auspices remain closely held.
Its tough enough dealing with the attribution issue without
making things even more complicated. By absenting myself from
those discussions it should be obvious that any resemblance
between items published in these pages and material revealed on
the net is purely coincidental.
There is a calligraphic art form which results in ambigrams,
hand-lettered words or phrases which read the same when turned
upside down. The illustration at the right was recently discovered
by Joe Marino, who found it (and sent me the book, thanks Joe!)
in Wordplay by John Langdon.
Ambigrams have the potential to provide
a wonderful premise for a Mentalism
presentation. Ideas, anyone?
GIZMO, continued
This step in the assembly is shown in the cover illustration.
Carefully unroll the outer bags fold and allow the inner bag to
invisibly attach itself to the inside surface of the outer bag.
The slips which are placed inside the inner bag bear the same
page number. The collected slips bearing random numbers go
between the inner bag and the outer bag.
The final preparation before the show involves turning back the
top of the outer bag as before; the unattached top edge of the inner
bag lays against the taped edge as you form the cuff, allowing
access only to the contents of the outer bag. Apply another length of
double-sticky tape to the other top, outside edge of the inner bag.
In performance, after the random numbers are drawn from the bag,
you unroll the cuff and run your fingers across the bags top to
apparently seal it before handing the bag to participant #2. In
reality, you are also attaching the inner bags remaining top edge to
the outer bag, making it possible for the second participant to
access only the slips bearing your force page number.
260
Wise Words:
Hard learned
lessons are those
remembered
longest.
Anonymous
Volume 3, Number 18
Joe Marino
Issue # 54
Pro Fabulation

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
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Reprints:
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We all have dreams, begins

the Mentalist, and those dreams
have power. According to Peter
Daniels, dreaming illustrates your
hidden capacities and your
unwakened ability.
Readying a small notepad for
entries, the mindreader continues,
When you hold a dream in your
heart and mind, everyone around
you can share that vision. Lets
make a connection.
The performer points to
someone in the audience and asks,
My dream is to buy a nice
automobile and a very good price.
How much do you think I would
consider paying for my luxury dream car? The answer is Twenty
six thousand, seven hundred fifty three dollars. The number is
written on the pad.
Indicating a second audience participant, the Mentalist
continues, I also want the Corinthian Leather interior package.
How much is that? Six hundred fifty two dollars, is the reply,
which is also written down.
Finally, remarks the performer, there are charges such as
dealer prep, license, taxes, and so forth. What will be the total in
that category? A third person in the audience answers, Seven
hundred sixty-six dollars. That figure is inscribed on the pad as
well.
Putting the pad in his shirt pocket
for a moment, the Mentalist takes out
Joe is a highly
his wallet and approaches the closest
successful
of the three audience helpers. I went
motivational
to an auto broker the other day and
speaker based in
got a written estimate on my dream
Jacksonville,
FL.
cars price, he says as he unzips the
wallets interior compartment, and I
kept the paper as an incentive. He
withdraws a folded receipt from the previously zippered pocket,
unfolds it, and hands it to the participant. Returning the wallet to
his pocket, the performer again pulls out the memo pad, draws a
line under the figures written there, and takes a moment to reach
a total.
Please turn to Pro Fabulation, page 262
261
Pro Fabulation, continued

Lets see...26,753 plus 652 plus 766 is...28, 171. Thats a lot of
money for a car these days. The base price suggested by helper #1
was 26,753. Whats on the estimate? The surprised helper reads,
$26,753.
The mindreader continues, And is the upgrade package priced
at - he refers to his notepad - $652? Yes! How about all those
dealer charges? Helper #3 thought $766 was about right. Does his
guess match my dream quote? Yes!
For this killer version of the standard Confabulation effect you
use any type of card-to-wallet billfold and two small duplicate
notepads. Each notepad is constructed using the stiff backing from
a larger, off-the-shelf notepad, cut to playing card size. Trim
several pieces of paper to the same size and glue them to
the stiff panel. You will neither remove nor write on
these sheets. Add a cover, cut from the original
notepads cover material, folded over and attached to the
underside of the stiff panel.
Write, on a generic office supply store receipt form, entries
for the products or services youll mention in your routine but
leave the prices and the total blank (shown as grey areas in the
second illustration). Fold the paper so the four areas for the entries
are above one another and close together. The final, folded receipt
should be the same height and width as your card-size notepads.
Be sure at least one corner of the receipt is available to grasp when
the time comes to unfold the paper. Place the folded receipt
beneath the cover of one of the notepads and use the clip of your
pen to hold the pad closed. The wallet, prepared to accept the load,
is in your coats inside breast pocket while the duplicate pad is in
your shirt pocket on the same side of your body.
As each items price is given, write that amount in the
appropriate space on the folded receipt, appearing to write it on the
top sheet of the pad. After youve been given all three prices, write
their total in the proper space. You must remember all four figures
(a good mnemonic system will help here). As an alternative, double
write the info on your thumbnail.
When its time to produce the receipt, put the notepad away
(apparently into your shirt pocket, but really into the wallet) and
bring out the wallet. Unzip the proper compartment and withdraw
the folded receipt, leaving the dummy notepad inside. Grasp the
exposed corner of the receipt and snap the paper open with a flick of
your wrist before handing it to your participant.
This is what sells the effect: Take the duplicate pad from your
shirt pocket and bluff reading the three figures as if they were
written on the pad. Use your pen to draw a line as if you were
adding the column, take a couple moments to pretend youre
adding, then announce the total. Ask your participant to read
aloud whats written on the receipt and to verify the total.
262
Data other than

digits can be used,
provided the paper
is folded to allow
entry in the proper
place on the form.
Paul Green
This Gifts for You
Paul has found that

this routine is the
ideal way to present
a gift to an events
guest of honor.
Inspired by Tony Griffiths fantastic routines, Penny Move and

Person Move, Paul developed this variation.
A group of seven people, including the guest of honor, is asked
to come on stage and stand in a single row. The Mentalist asks an
eighth participant to hand a gift-wrapped package, at random, to
any of those standing in the row. Then helper #8 is given a set of
instructions, printed in large block capital letters, to read aloud.
The instructions direct for the gift to be exchanged from one
participant to another and, from time to time, direct one or more of
the participants to return to the audience. At the conclusion, only
the guest of honor remains standing. He opens the card on the gift
and finds that it is addressed to him!
There are two keys to performing this routine: 1) When the
folks come on stage, quietly direct them where to stand. The final
recipient (grey in the illustration) must be in the third place in the
row from stage right (as they face the audience, two people will be
on the honorees right and four people will be on his left). 2) You
will secretly alter the instructions based on the whether the gift is
handed to a person in an odd or even position in the row. Heres
whats written:
When you are instructed to make an exchange, please hand
the gift to either person standing directly at your side.
Exchange the gift. Now exchange again.
The persons on either end of the row should be seated.
Exchange the gift. Exchange the gift once more. Exchange
the gift a third time.
The person on the right end of the row should return to the
audience. Please take the person from the opposite end of the
row with you.
Exchange the gift.
The person on the rows left end should leave the stage.
Exchange the gift.
The empty-handed person should take his seat.
The person who holds the gift should now open the gift
card and read it aloud. After all, this gifts for you!
Except for the bold text in the second line, the instructions are
written on a dry-erase board, using a permanent marker. The bold
text is written using a dry-erase pen. If the gift is given to a
person standing in an odd position, secretly wipe away the
erasable instruction before you hand it to helper #8 to read.
Its important for the audience to understand that, unless he is
on the end of the row, each person who transfers the gift has a free
choice as to which person on either side gets the package.
263

Dick Steiner phoned to request a clarification on The Ziploc
Gizmo in the previous issue. The gutsy business about placing a
self-sealing bag full of numbered slips in the participants hands is
his; for simplification, a basic word test was substituted in place of
his more lengthy (and absolutely incredible) presentation.
Just did Bruce Bernsteins Emergency Mentalism (issue #51)
in a recent corporate show - and it slays em! (See the clients letter
on my website: http://www.Lee-Earle.com/attaboy.html.) If you
havent yet given the routine a tryout, you should read the write-up
again. Better yet, buy a copy of the book (Psy Kicks) from which it
came and get the unabridged version. Send your check for $33.00
to Bruce at 6031 W. Henderson, Chicago, IL, 60634 and he will send
your copy via Priority Mail or international Air Mail.
September lecture dates for SYZYGYs BEST!:
Date
City
Contact
Phone
Sept. 24 Williamsburg, VA Jerry Blount 757 565-2546
Sept. 25 Philadelphia, PA
Marc DeSouza 610 519-1866
Sept. 27 Baltimore, MD
Denny Haney 410 686-3914
Sept. 28 Canton, OH
Michael Lair 330 453-6819
Recent conversations, involving attribution and permission to
print, make it necessary to publish some dictionary definitions:
editor - The person having final responsibility for the
operations and policies of a publication.
edit - a. To prepare written material for publication or
presentation, as by correcting, revising, or adapting; b. To
modify or adapt so as to make suitable or acceptable.
Material sent to SYZYGY for publication consideration is likely
to be revised, corrected, adapted, and modified. Unlike a magazine,
which accepts finished articles and edits only for language or
length, SYZYGY is a newsletter in which brevity and editorial
perspective are given equal consideration with content and premise.
To paraphrase philosopher and author Robert Heinlein, the chef
approves the soup only after he flavors it himself.
Riley G. is offering a discount on the no-longer-out-of-print
classic book, The Psychic Mafia. You can order a copy from his online bookstore at: http://www.psicop.com/psicopbs-1.htm
Germanys Ted Lesley is now the proud editor and publisher of
Mind & Magic Magazine. Produced in 81/4 x 53/4 inch booklet
format, the first issue is 16 pages long (including covers) and
includes material from Dr. Toni Forster, Ken de Courcy, and
others. Its priced at 70 German marks per year for international
airmail and is promised to be published thirteen times annually.
Contact Ted via telephone or fax at (49) 30-851-6861 or by e-mail at
Wonderworkshop@t-online.de. Can you say, market saturation ?
David Fredric Ashton, III is working on a book featuring
everything you ever wanted to know about those in-the-ear, secret
assistant radio devices. Look for a review, here, soon.
264
Wise Words:
Imagination is
more important
than knowledge.
Albert Einstein
Volume 4, Number 1
Joseph Curcillo, III
Issue # 55
Time is of the Essence

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
I imagine that some of you in the

audience are wondering why youve
been asked to bring paper bags, light
bulbs, plastic baggies, and a loaded
stapler to the performance this
evening, begins the Mentalist. Its to
illustrate a point. I asked my contact
person to enlist the help of four others
to collect the paraphernalia necessary
for our next experiment. Will those
folks bring their purchases to the
platform, please?
Once the five persons have been
welcomed and introduced to the
audience, the performer continues,
The instructions I faxed to the
committee chairperson specified that
certain items be obtained and I see youve
all complied. Please distribute one sack, one
baggie, and one light bulb to every person. The participants
comply, but because there are only four light bulbs, one person has
only a sack and a baggie.
Turning to that helper, the
mindreader continues, Actually, I
planned for the fifth object to be
Credit is given to
something different. Please remove
Dan Tong and Marc
your wristwatch - well use that.
DeSouza for their
Each of you should now place your
input in developing
object, light bulb or wristwatch,
this routine.
inside your plastic baggie and close
the seal at the top. Next, place the
bagged item into your paper sacks
and fold the top over twice. All the sacks should be folded the
same so they appear identical. He takes an extra bag from the
supply and demonstrates.
Now hold your sacks so they can be stapled, instructs the
Mentalist, who goes from person to person, stapling the bags
closed with a single staple in the center of each sacks fold.
The performer states, The five sacks have been prepared in
the same way and are indistinguishable from one another. One
contains a valuable watch and the others hold inexpensive light
bulbs. The watch, worn in the thick of the owners aura, will likely
retain some of that aura. The bulbs, being relatively unhandled,
remain aura-free.
Please turn to Time, page 266
265
Time, continued
Indicating 5 large, cast-concrete blocks standing in a
row on the platform, the performer says, While my back
is turned, please pass the sacks to one person who will
gently place one atop each of the blocks in a random
manner, so no one will have a clue as to which sack
contains the watch. Let me know when thats
accomplished. When all 5 sacks are distributed atop the
blocks, the performer is notified.
Theres one more item to be used in this experiment,
confesses the performer, but its rare and hard to find, so I
brought my own. He removes an enormous sledge hammer from
his case and grins in an evil manner. I hope that watch is a Timex
- because we know they take a licking and keep on ticking.
Hefting the hammer to his shoulder, the Mentalist continues,
Heres the concept: Since all the sacks look the same, only the
aura emanating from the watch remains as a clue to its location.
Lets test that theory.
Looking at the first sack, he says, No aura here, and slams the
sledgehammer onto the sack with full force. If Im wrong, the
watch will still keep perfect time, by the way. Twice a day.
A second sack gets hammered. What was clockwise called
before there were clocks? asks the performer.
When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a
nail, remarks the Mentalist, smashing a third sack. Nailed it!
You ever hear the expression, Dumb as a sack of hammers?
queries the mindreader. This stunt may qualify. A fourth sack is
flattened.
The Mentalist picks up the final, surviving sack and says, Its a
good thing you have a strong aura. Otherwise, you wouldnt have a
watch and I wouldnt have a finish. He opens the sack and
withdraws the baggie containing the borrowed wristwatch!
You can have lots of fun and byplay with this routine which is
sure to engage the audience as never before. Your secret identifier
is the staple. Rather, its the direction in which the staple
penetrates the fold. As each person holds his sack to be stapled,
each lightbulb sack is stapled so the flat part of the staple is against
the flat side of the sack. When you staple the watch sack, reverse
the stapler so the staple penetrates from the folded side. Its
important to do this in a breezy, chatty, manner, moving quickly to
have them passed to one person for distribution atop the blocks.
Once the sacks are atop the blocks, its easy to spot the odd staple.
Your faxed instructions to your contact person specify that each
of four other people must bring one of the following: A box of zip-top
plastic sandwich bags, a package of 4 25-watt light bulbs, a handheld stapler (not a desk type), and at least 5 lunchbag size paper
sacks. This makes sure a total of five persons are involved. The
plastic bags are insurance to contain glass splinters from the bulbs.
266
Dave Arch
PK Pins
Dave is an example
of the modern
crossover
performer, working
as a Mentalist and
as a professional
speaker.
The Mentalist drops four large safety pins on the table and
comments, When searching for the unusual, we often
focus on the exotic - bypassing the more common
elements of our lives which can often supply the
answers we are seeking.
He opens and then closes each of the
safety pins as he continues, For example, if
we were to attempt to move objects with our
minds, with which might we feel more
comfortable: stress gauges or safety pins? The very
familiar nature of everyday items lends weight to our
attempts. Were comfortable with such
things.
Here, asks the performer of a
nearby participant, hold these four
pins in your hand and think, Open open - open. Nothing happens.
Perhaps if we remove one and let you work with three,
suggests the mindreader. He takes one of the safety pins
away. Still no manifestation of PK.
Lets try with only two, he says, Visualize how they look
when they are open. The performer slowly opens and closes the
two safety pins, then places them in the participants hand.
The Mentalist goes on, Concentrate. See them opening in your
minds eye. Feel them opening in your hand. Squeeze them a little
as you focus your mind... The participant screams and drops the
pins to the table. They have both opened!
Credit the method to Karl Fulves book, Self-Working Table
Magic (page 107, Un-Safety Pins). To set the last two pins to open
in her hand, align the open pins one atop the other. Hold the two
pins firmly between your thumb and index finger at the circular
spring end, opposite the heads. Close the upper pin but place the
point of the pin in the head of the bottom pin. The lower pins
point goes in the head of the upper pin.
Place the pair of pins in your participants hand and have her
hold them tightly so they wont open prematurely. Her hand
should be turned palm down so if she opens her hand when she is
surprised by the moving pins, they will fall to the table.
Its a good idea to blunt the points of the pins to avoid the slight
possibility of your participant getting pricked.
Dave suggests you avoid claiming that you first discovered your
PK abilities as a child, opening your diaper pins by mind control.
The resulting mental picture is not a pretty one.
267

Just received from Charles Buckner a copy of his new Brain
Twisters - an 8.5 x 11 inch, 17 page Velobind (Velobound?) booklet
of very clever ideas including one section entitled Sneak a Peek Blindfold Bits which contains some of the most useful tips on
blindfold use Ive encountered. Theres also some exciting work on
Korans Gold Medallion, and more. Produced much like a set of
lecture notes, it is nicely typeset and includes photos of a younger
author in full P.R. mode. You can order your copy by sending $15 to
Mr. Buckner at: 1118 Berwick Road, Birmingham, AL 35242.
Special thanks to E. Raymond Carlyle who provided bed &
board for both me and my son Warren Paul Earle during my visit
bringing SYZYGYs BEST! to Williamsburg, VA. No slouch in the
hospitality department is Marc DeSouza of Philadelphia whose
home is a combination theatre and magic museum - the ideal venue
for a travelling lecturer. A tip o the hat also goes to friends
Denny Haney, Jerry Blount, and Michael Lair for ramrodding
the lectures in their communities.
This month, the lecture visits:
Oct. 15 - Charlotte, NC - Eddy Wade - 704.373.0888
Oct. 16 - Nashville, TN - Bill Molby - 615.832.7775
Oct. 17 - Huntsville, AL - Brett Boyer - 205.721.1678
Oct. 18 - Jackson, MS - Robert Battle - 601.992.2522
The Wireless Earphone Book, over 70 pages of inside information
for those using (or thinking about obtaining) an in-the-ear cueing
device, is David Fredric Ashton, IIIs newest release. It includes
outstanding routines and common sense advice from a working pro.
Orders go to: 5132 S.E. Flavel Drive, Portland, OR 97206, $34.95.
The renowned Six and One-Half, Arizonas Mentalism
Braintrust, has announced the November release of their 3-volume
video package, Desert Brainstorm. This is the one which features
names youve seen in SYZYGY such as Docc Hilford, Larry
Becker, Mark Strivings, Kenton Knepper, Christopher
Caldwell, Gene Urban, and yours truly, Lee Earle. It was
videotaped (with a live audience) and produced by Mike Maxwell
of A-1 Multimedia, so you know it will be a quality item. You can
reserve yours, $84.95 postpaid, directly from the Six and One-Half.
Contact Robert Waller, 7528 W. Wescott, Glendale, AZ 85308.
Erick Machamer (a delightfully bizarre soul I met at the
Canton, OH lecture) produces an evening of Supernatural Magick,
The 13th Hour (artwork at right), billed as a great alternative to
murder mysteries. For info and reservations, call 330.709.9494.
On the subject of ghosts, Loyd Auerbach, Consulting Editor to
Fate Magazine, will co-host a Ghost Busting seminar and
workshop on October 25 and a Dinner With a Ghost event on
November 18th, both in the San Francisco Bay area. For more info,
contact: Institute of Intuitive Research, 2075 Winchester Blvd. #107
Campbell, CA 95008 or call 408.379.6669.
268
Wise Words:
Wisdom is
knowledge in
action
Anonymous
Volume 4, Number 2
Lee Earle
Issue # 56
Puzzling Perception

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
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World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
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Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
The intuitive process, explains

the Mentalist, is one of the least
understood functions of the
human mind. Researchers
explain that the brain gathers
an abundance of seemingly
unrelated data and then, much
as one might work a jigsaw puzzle,
attempts to fit bits and bytes of
information together until they
connect to produce a solution.
Two identical jigsaw puzzles are
produced; one of them is still pieces in a box while the other
has been assembled into the completed picture and mounted on a
panel. The performer pries one piece from the center of the
completed puzzle and explains, Sometimes one critical piece of the
puzzle is required to make sense of the whole. In jigsaw puzzles
the final piece is easy to locate in real life that critical component
is often more elusive.
Opening the second puzzle box, the performer approaches
several people in the front row and asks, Please take a piece from
the box and visually compare it to this one, taken from the center
of the puzzle. As youd expect, they
are similar but not identical, yes?
The participants agree. All the pieces
A jigsaw puzzle is
are returned to the box.
something which is
There are only two pieces,
instantly familiar,
reminds the Mentalist looking at the
providing a great
puzzles description on the side of the
hook for Mentalism.
box, among these 100 which will
complete the picture. One taken from
the original puzzle and the other from
this unassembled duplicate set. He shakes the box, mixing the
pieces inside, then removes the lid and walks along the front row
asking each person, Take a few pieces, close your hand around
them so none show, then hold out your closed fists in front of you.
The performer holds his hand over the first extended fist. Its
not in your hand, he remarks to one participant, so please return
all your pieces. One by one, the participants are eliminated and
return their pieces to the collection. Only a single fist remains.
The Mentalist instructs, Transfer half the pieces to your other
hand and extend both fists. Touching one fist, the mindreader
says, Not here. Get rid of those pieces and divide those remaining
between your hands again.
Please turn to PUZZLE, page 270
269
PUZZLE, continued
The process of elimination is repeated until only two pieces
remain, one in each of the participants hands.
Does one of your pieces have perfectly straight sides? I thought
so. Please discard that one because the target piece wasnt taken
from the puzzles edge. Compare your remaining puzzle piece
against the assembled puzzle for fit, suggests the performer.
Of course, it matches perfectly.
This routine is quite clean because the only chicanery occurs
right at the very start, even before the premise has been fully set.
Please dont improve the handling with plastic bags, envelopes, or
any other type of paraphernalia. Its not necessary.
In your local Everythings-a-Dollar store buy 20 identical jigsaw
puzzles. Once youve assembled them (this will take some time but
gets easier with each puzzle), remove the same identical piece from
all puzzles and place those pieces aside.
Use spray adhesive to mount one completed puzzle, less the
single removed piece, to a section of matte board or a foamcore
panel. After ensuring that there is no adhesive residue in the spot
where the missing piece goes, lightly place one of the duplicate
pieces into that hole, completing the puzzle.
The remaining identical pieces are placed in one of the empty
puzzle boxes along with 50 or 60 pieces taken from the borders of
the unused puzzles; all these border pieces will have straight sides
or 90 degree corners.
Finally, choose one additional (non-border) piece at random
which is a slightly different shape and color from those in the set of
duplicates. In performance, when the single piece is removed from
the assembled puzzle, billet-switch it for this non-matching piece
and ditch the one from the puzzle among the others in the box.
None of the pieces in the box will match the one the audience
saw you remove from the assembled puzzle. Hold out this Jonah
piece when the other comparison pieces are returned to the box.
There are three possible scenarios at the end:
1) One of the two final pieces has a straight edge while the
other is one of the dupes that fit proceed as above;
2) Both of the pieces are dupes which fit the hole in the puzzle
(Amazing - your intuition found both pieces! or The final choice is
yours - which one feels right? Go with your intuition!);
3) Neither of the two is one of your 20 dupes. Suggest youve
demonstrated that mere chance cant be counted upon to produce a
desirable result. But, you continue, armed with the additional
clue that you must choose a piece with no straight sides, your
intuition will be enchanced. Reach into the box and feel with your
fingertips for pieces with only curved sides. Trust your intuition to
guide your hand to the one you want.
270
James Biss
The Silent Word
James, a member of
Torontos mysterious
M5 group, credits
Leo Boudreau and
Al Mann for his
inspiration.
0
8
4
2
9
12
14
15
7
11
5
10
13
6
3
1
Anger
Fear
Envy
Greed
Resentment
Love
Shame
Embarassment
Happiness
Animosity
Infatuation
Hate
Sentimentality
Lust
Affection
Tranquility
How many times, begins the

Mentalist, have friends said, I know
what youre thinking and how often have
they been right? With a limited range of
possibilities, it is possible to discern a persons
thoughts. Especially when they relate to our
emotions.
Ive written, informs the mindreader, on
the backs of my business cards, a few words which are used to
describe feelings. Words which have a high semantic content,
invoking powerful inner emotions.
Mixing the facedown packet of business cards, the performer
instructs, Four of you will select from among these trigger words
which activate your subconscious. Its highly likely that,
regardless of how much you try, you will still betray that emotion.
Here, continues the Mentalist, speaking to the first of four
participants, cut the packet of cards and take the top one for
yourself. For now, dont let anyone else see your choice. The
packet is extended to each of three others, all of whom take care to
conceal the identity of the words they take.
Its important that you burn that word into your subconscious,
claims the performer. Close your eyes and spell the word in your
mind like this... He shuts his eyes and spells aloud, H-A-P-P-Y,
then winks and says, but do it silently, without moving your lips.
The mindreader says, Begin. The four participants mentally
spell their selected words and almost immediately the Mentalist
identifies which emotions they are focusing upon!
Its the length of the words, combined with their positions in the
list, which provide the clue. Those persons with long words will
still be silently spelling behind closed eyes long after those with
short words are looking at you for further instructions.
Arrange the word-cards in the Anger-thru-Tranquility order
shown at the left (dont write the numbers). Your mixing is
nothing more than a series of complete cuts, maintaining the
circular sequence (Anger follows Tranquility). After your first
participant cuts the cards and takes the top word-card, each
subsequent person takes the next card from the top of the packet.
Assign your first helper the arbitrary value 1. The second
participant is valued 2 while the third helper gets 4 and the
last participant is an 8 for our purposes. When you see eyes still
closed after your mental spelling of 5 letters, that persons value is
added to your mental total. Use that sum to find the word taken
by the first participant (refer to the number printed with each
word in the list at left). The lists next three entries are the words,
in order, taken by the three other participants.
271

On last weeks lecture tour through Dixie, I visited Knoxvilles
Faustian John Riggs. As we munched our way through dinner
(thats what they call the midday meal down South) John provided
the manuscript for his next book, which Ive just finished reading.
Its not for the fainthearted (or the thin-skinned). There are few
performance pieces or routines in the more than 80 pages. Still, the
contents will cause Mentalists to buy it, magicians to curse it,
CSICOP to castigate it, and some congregations to burn it.
Two well known names in the business have combined forces:
Jack Dean has done a mailing on The Lazarus Effect!, a new 106
page, comb-bound book of one-on-one Mentalism by C.L. Board.
Its postpaid at $39.00 (plus 8.25% sales tax for Tennessee
residents) from StageCraft, 3110 Arrendale St., Memphis, TN
38118. There was no phone number on the postcard I received.
Another friend, Ty Kralin, has introduced a line of revenue
producing products including: tic sheets for numerology, astrology,
graphology, palmistry, etc.; Kralins Krash Kourse in handwriting
analysis; a graphology pitch book, and so forth. Tys material tends
to be simple, direct, and unpretentious, developed from lessons in
the School of Hard Knocks from someone, to extend the metaphor,
who has done his homework. For a complete list of his products,
contact Ty at: 414 Carlton Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854.
Ring 296 in Charlotte, NC really knows how to treat a visiting
lecturer! A first-class room at a premier hotel to start and a
sumptuous meal (chicken pecan it was delicious!) following the
lecture to finish. Scott Robinson and Eddy Wade respectively,
are the responsible culprits. My two other charming dining
companions were Sandra Wade and Dr. Charles Mays.
I finally got to meet Gene Grant (Phantini) at the Jackson, MS
lecture. His work can be easily compared to that of David Hoy,
Ned Rutledge, and Burling Hull as influential in shaping
Contemporary Mentalism, so I was thrilled to spend a little time
with him. More thanks due to Tom Molby, Brett Boyer, and Dr.
Robert Battle for their help in organizing my visits to their cities.
Recent SYZYGY co-op mailings have included offerings from
Craig Karges, David Fredric Ashton, III, as well as promotion
for a 3-volume video set from the renowned Six and One Half,
entitled The Desert Brainstorm Series. As always, the subscriber
list is never compromised the mailing is delivered, in bulk, to
Phoenix where the address labels are affixed before mailing.
Joe Marino turned me on to My Lousy Inheritance, a routine
using a womans watch by Fred Hager, 253 Candlelight Cove,
Coppell TX 75019. It elegantly duplicates the effect of his earlier
Blown Away a watch is discovered to be set at a freely chosen
time. Youll probably want to rewrite the poem included with the
routine but its a good buy at $79+$5 postage. Phone: 972.304.1421
Do Scotch Encoder and Time Matches On ring a bell? Call.
272
Wise Words:
I close my eyes in
order to see.
Anonymous
Volume 4, Number 3
Marc Salem
Issue # 57
Time Will Tell

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
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World Wide Web
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per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
We have more than five

physical senses, begins the
Mentalist, and one is our
sense of time. Some people
have a more highly developed
temporal acuity than others.
The performer places a
small travel alarm clock, the
type with a large, digital readout, in a helpers
hands and says, Have you ever snapped wide awake about a
minute before your alarm would have sounded? I sometimes do.
Putting his pen to a notepad, the mind reader privately inks a
figure on the top sheet, tears it from the pad, and places it (writing
side down) on the table. He shows the participant how the clocks
hour figure advances when one button is pressed then repeats the
demonstration with the button to change the minutes.
The Mentalist continues, Note that hour and minute can be
advanced simultaneously. Try it yourself. The participant
complies, observing the numbers changing with each button press.
Presently, youll do that again to simulate the passage of the
night hours, reminds the performer, but hold the clock face down
as you do it. The participant rotates
the clock to face the tabletop.
Taking the paper and placing it so
A similar effect
it rests, writing side up, on the back
(with
a different
side of the clock, the mind reader
method) is featured
says, Thats when you need to be
in Marcs offawake. Lets see if your intuition will
broadway show,
wake you up at a time close to it.
Mind Games
Imagine yourself quietly sleeping.
Press, hold, and release the hour and
minute buttons as often as you like,
stopping when you feel the urge to awaken. The helper complies.
Place the clock face down on the table, says the Mentalist,
and read to the rest of us whats written on the paper. The
participant reads aloud, Five eighteen, PM. The performer turns
the clock so everyone can see the face; it reads 5:17 PM!
Set a travel clock to any random time then write that time
(plus two minutes) on the paper. Before showing how to change
the time, secretly switch the clock to the alarm setting mode. (The
exact switch or button will vary with each brand of clock. A small
dab from a marking pen, below the : in the illustration, conceals
the telltale alarm icon.) Covertly reset the clock to the time
display mode as you pick it up to show it to your audience.
273
Alain Nu
Zodiesque
For centuries, reminds the Mentalist, people
have categorized themselves and others, assigning
certain behavioral characteristics to others based on
the time of the year that individual was born. Lets get
a show of hands, how many of you were born in, for
example, the colder months of the year, during
autumn or winter? Raise your hand if you were born
in the fall or winter months.
Addressing those with upraised hands, the
performer continues, You would be considered to be
world-builders people who tend to be thinkers or
developers. Please lower your hands. Thank you.
Engineers and project managers, informs the
mind reader, are also among those more likely to
have been born in colder months. Contrarily, if your
birth was in the spring or summer, you would more
likely be regarded as a risk-taker an adventurer
who finds, indeed, that variety is the spice of life.
Raising his hand in illustration, the Mentalist
asks, On a more metaphysical note, how many of you
were born in the first half of the year? Hands in the audience are
momentarily elevated again. You are among the
group often described as telepathic whereas
individuals born in the second half of the year usually
are characterized as more perceptive regarding future
events; they are thought of as the clairvoyants.
Explaining further, the performer remarks,
Although these observations are based on general
archetypes, you can see how one might find certain
truths in those dualities. Astrology, for example, is
based on a much more complex archetypal system.
The year is divided into twelve symbols, representing
unique constellations, each of which is associated
with very specific characteristics.
Gazing into his audience, the mind reader queries,
Who among you have not read your horoscope today?
Please raise your hands. The performer
acknowledges one of those with an uplifted hand
saying, Dont say it aloud, but do you know your
zodiac sign? Yes? Then, please, join me up here on
the stage. A young woman walks to the platform
where she is introduced to the audience and made welcome.
Lets try an experiment, continues the Mentalist, Concentrate
274
Alain has several

projects brewing for
the upcoming year.
His star is on the
rise, so watch for it.
on your personal zodiac sign. Close your eyes and imagine

what it looks like. Hmm... I perceive an innate tendency towards
being self-critical. I can see a definite face on your zodiac. Its not a
human face is it? No, its the face of a creature; a very small one at
that, right? You have the sign which characterizes you as one who
observes and sees objectively.
The Mentalist goes on to describe her personality
before revealing that she is, in this instance, a
Capricorn.
As you deliver the presentation as described, you
are on the lookout for a person whose hand is raised
twice. Because of this initial (and seemingly both
spontaneous and innocent) poll, you have eliminated
everyone except those whose birth dates fall under
either Capricorn, Aquarius, or Pisces.
A positive response when you indicate that the
zodiac sign has a human face indicates an Aquarius.
If you get, instead, a puzzled or slow reaction,
continue with your gentle declarative query, Its not
a human face is it? If the person suddenly affirms
that the zodiac sign has a human face, you respond,
I thought so. Then you proceed to describe
Aquarius, the water bearer.
Should the respondent agree that the face is not human, you
can say, I thought not. Either response will support the gently
probing question.
An enthusiastic reaction to the statement about a very small
creature associated with the sign means you have discovered a
Pisces. (Appropriate, since you were after all, fishing.)
Should you observe a hesitant reaction when mentioning a
small creature, you qualify your statement by saying, It is not a
large animal such as a Taurus, the bull or Leo, the lion. Then you
reveal the sign as Capricorn, the goat.
With this method, no props whatsoever need be used, you are
always ready to perform. If you want to modify the presentation to
include some visual props, prepare a large envelope which will
contain the three possible outcomes (printed on card stock) inside.
Feel free to use the graphics printed on these pages.
Trim a strip about 5mm wide from the upper end of the
Capricorn card and cut 10mm from the top end of the card for
Pieces. Then, with all the cards in the envelope, you can easily
locate and withdraw the appropriate panel without looking, just
before you reveal the participants zodiac sign. Its easy, because
the cards are in alphabetical order by length; the longest card is
Aquarius, the middle card is Capricorn, and the short card
represents Pieces.
There is no need to show the envelope empty after you remove
the card; put it aside and focus attention on the panel you hold.
275

The early theatrical reviews for Marc Salems Mind Games
are coming in and they exceed even the most hopeful expectations.
The New York Times: In New York City, everyone is
willing to give you a piece of his mind, but few people have the
talent to steal one.
WCEW radio: I have to state at the outset that I am as
cynical and suspicious as any self-respecting native New
Yorker can be but I have to confess that I came away from
last nights opening of Marc Salems Mind Games a true, and
utterly dazzled, believer.
CurtainUp: I was completely amazed with the power of
the sixth sense. I found all of Dr. Salems feats plausible,
bordering on the unbelievable.
Get ready, folks, cause Mentalism is about to become HOT!
With the holiday season approaching, new products are being
touted in record numbers. One of the most exciting is a word test
from England, Insight. (Its illogical to call these things book tests do we ask a participant to think of a book?) This item is well
produced, a snap to perform (with no crib sheets between performer
and audience), and rather than restricting participants to a long,
challenging word, allows the use of names, dates, countries, cities,
occupations, etc. None of the 45 possible selections will get you in
trouble with an English vs. American spelling, either. Insight is
reasonably priced at $199, postpaid via airmail, available
exclusively from Morley Budden at The Kaymar Magic Co., 189a
St. Marys Lane, Upminster, Essex, RM143BU, England. You can
also phone your credit card order to (44) 170 864-0557.
The fabled Six and One Half, Arizonas mental brain trust, has
released their 3-volume video set produced by Mike Maxwell
entitled The Desert Brain Storm. Included are 21 solid routines
from working professionals Larry Becker, Christopher
Caldwell, Lee Earle, Docc Hilford, Kenton Knepper, Mark
Strivings, and Gene Urban. Because yours truly is a member of
that group, I have a few sets available (standard VHS only - no
PAL) at $85.00.
One routine which was videotaped for that set, my personal
headline prediction Deja Vu-ing, was too long to fit. Instead, it has
been packaged on A-1 Multimedias All-Stars Video Series, Vol. 4.
This video also features Darwin Ortiz, Tom Mullica, Rafael
Benatar, and Alan Ackerman. I also have some of these on hand
(standard VHS only - no PAL), priced at $30.00. In my humble
opinion, the prediction alone is worth the entire price.
Buy both the All-Stars Video Series, Vol. 4 and The Desert Brain
Storm and SYZYGY will pick up the postage. Theyre in stock now;
just call, fax, or e-mail to the numbers and address on the
masthead.
276
Wise Words:
Style is being
yourself, but on
purpose.
Raquel Welsh
SYZYGY reviews:
Issue # Q13
Marc Salems Mind Games

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
Internet: LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Mentalism has finally hit the Big Time.

Last Monday, November 17th,
saw Marc Salems one-man offBroadway show, Mind Games, open
to universally positive reviews.
Presented at New Yorks 43rd
Street Westside Theater, this 90minute mind-reading
extravaganza presents, to an
audience of about 250, pure
Contemporary Mentalism
fast, fresh, and funny. It
doesnt hurt that Salems
production advisors were none
other than Marc DeSouza
and Charles (yup, the same
guy who worked with
Henning, Geller, et al)
Reynolds.
Mind Games is hardly
a unique phrase, especially in this
business. Psychologists Robert Masters and Jean
Houston used it for their book and
Max Maven applied it to a
commercially released videotape.
Get ready: This
Marc Salem justifiably claims title
show could very well
(pun intended) due to his prior use of
catapult Mentalism
that catch phrase while working in
into broad public
the early 1970s.
awareness.
When taking their seats, the
audiences sees a clear plastic, six foot
wide, flattened three dimensional replica of a human brain which
dominates upstage center in the eye-catching and disappointingly
slick set. Specialized lighting adds a perpetually changing flow of
color across the high-tech black, plastic, chrome, and mirrored
stage. (Marc assured me that a warmer, friendlier, and far less
sterile set design is in the works.)
During the opening blackout, a huge (7-feet in diameter)
hypnotic spiral is shifted in front of the brain as the familiar
Twilight Zone theme begins to play. The lights come up as a Rod
Serling sound-alike welcomes the audience and admonishes them
to stare at the center of the wheel as it accelerates to a slow spin,
drawing every eye deeper into its counter-rotating, vertigoinducing visual vortex. Suddenly, the spiral is whisked aside to
277
reveal an Armani-clad Salem standing upstage center, his

entire body throbbing and pulsating in everyones
optically overloaded vision like a sackful of
tormented demons.
Wow, I thought to myself, This is going to
get heavy!
Not to worry. Marcs opening line immediately
puts the audience at ease. I need a little mental
workout to get up to speed, he claims, and then,
after opening his coat to display his middle-age
spread, grins, Obviously, its the only workout I
manage to get.
His bona fides are quickly established with a 4 x 4
Magic Square presentation which, to my amazement,
actually elicits laughs from the theatre-savvy New
York audience. After the standard paper-ball-into-theaudience business gets two single digits named,
forming a number between 10 and 99, Salem calculates
sixteen numbers which are written into the matrix, all
in less time than it takes to read this paragraph. He quickly
illustrates that all columns, rows, and diagonals of four numbers
add up to the randomly generated two-digit number and, after a
pause, begins to outline myriad other regular geometric fournumber patterns, each of which also totals to the same
figure. This first performance piece closes with a couple
of priceless bits of business which transform laughter
into warm applause.
A Swami medley (my term, not his) follows, into
which Salem artfully blends psychological forces,
cutouts, logical disconnects, and superb technique to
leave the audience gasping. The opening night audience
included one thoughtless patron who had neglected to
silence his cellular phone the inevitable ringing was
heard throughout the theater. While other performers
might have been thrown off pace, Salem coolly asked the
attendee to answer his phone and, relaying his request
through the phones owner, asked the person on the line
to supply a three-digit number. Naturally, it was shown
to be already written on the notebook in his hand. He
even got the entire audience to chorus Hello and
Good-bye to the unseen participant.
A colorful adaptation of Bank Nite follows with Marc
inviting a lady on stage to participate. Although she
has a truly free choice among the three colorful
envelopes, she inevitably selects the only one with no cash payoff.
Typically gentle, Salem softens any possible disappointment by
presenting his guest with a long-stemmed rose as the entire
audience coos their approval.
278
Marc Salem and

the spinning
vortex
Street view of the

Westside Theatre
Consultant
Charles Reynolds
and his wife
Regina at the
Opening Night
party
The ever-popular Lie Detector theme is explored next. Marc

stands shut-eyed at the footlights as five audience participants
wielding jumbo felt-tip markers draw or sketch on large, snowwhite square panels. After the face down drawings are gathered
and mixed by one of his helpers, Salem takes the first four and
unerringly returns them to their originators, his wry
observations of their feeble attempts at prevarication
drawing startled reactions and belly laughs from
participants and audience alike. Artfully sidestepping
the impending anticlimax, he verbally and crisply details
the unseen drawing on the final panel.
Marcs version of the classic Confabulation follows,
using a secret agent theme and appropriate music
(Mission Impossible of course) to get the audience in
the mood. A secret agent name, destination, and
rendezvous time are supplied by the audience and, in a
moment of whimsy, a final participant is told, Our spy
has his code name, destination, and schedule. All
thats missing is his choice of snack food.
Pretzels, she replies. A final participant opens
Salems wallet, removes the burn before reading
instructions, and reads them aloud. All of the
particulars supplied by the audience are within the
notes text. She reads the final instruction, Carry a
bag of pretzels and the applause erupts.
A bookcase containing perhaps 100 assorted paperbacks glides
on stage in order to allow one participant to gather several of
them. Salem has a lot of fun with the titles (which Im sure he has
handpicked from used book stores for maximum effect), reading
them aloud in a manner which elicits snickers and groans from his
audience. After the books are distributed and, with no obvious
attempt at control, he spells or recites the words chosen by all
three helpers.
Following his perception of the final word, he offers the book as
a souvenir to his participant and then signs it (with the real
authors name - again, for a laugh). Most impressive was the fact
that in three performances (two pre-opening nights and the debut
itself) Salem never repeated a method. Cassidys Jazz Mentalism
lives!
Coincidence becomes the theme of Marcs next presentation, in
which he plays with an adult and a child from the audience.
Salem spins the hands of a borrowed analog wristwatch in front of
the youngsters eyes while a digital timepiece is randomly reset by
the adult. The kid says Stop. Both times match, of course.
Even the tried and true cassette recorder prediction has been
rethought for Mind Games, employing an ungimmicked portable
player and a tape clearly marked, Play this side only! Once
279
again, Marcs easygoing sense of humor supplies an unexpected

laugh (and gasp) in the middle of the playback. His attention to
detail is superb the recording includes a well-timed aside which is
drowned out by the audience reaction, but adds sufficient delay in
the tape to avoid having to stop the playback.
In the closing slot is a heart-stopping blindfold routine in which
he improvises a blending of sightless vision, question & answer, and
audience reading. Large coins are placed in his eyes and then two
participants (Salem asks for any physicians present to assist)
creatively and amusingly secure the coins in place by plastering
several strips of medical adhesive tape across his eyes, under his
nose and, on one night, even over his ear! A folded black napkin is
tied across the bridge of his nose to cover the whole works thus
rendering him completely sightless.
Using experience, intelligence, and more than a little chutzpah,
Marc perceives colors, shapes, serial numbers, names, dates, places,
and faces in a dizzying melange which plays for well over twelve
minutes. He finishes by peeling the adhesive tape blindfold off his
face, eyebrows, and beard (ouch!) and then proceeds to duplicate a
drawing (made by a participant while Marc is blindfolded and never
seen by the audience) with astonishing accuracy, even to the point
of using the same color pen.
A well-timed Columbo moment during the curtain call reveals a
critical piece of information missed earlier in the show and the
applause redoubles. (Interviewing attendees at the opening night
party which followed, I discovered that Marcs all-too-quick
departure from the stage prevented the standing ovation that
everyone was anxious to award. Next time, Marc, stay there and
accept your audiences love.)
In lesser hands Mentalism can all too easily become challenging,
frightening, or trivialized. Marc Salem manages to transform the
classics of our art into delightful, playful, and memorable moments
exploring the world of perception, intuition, and imagination;
moments which never threaten and always entertain.
Bravo!
For those interested in attending a
performance of Mind Games, reservations
are advised. Tickets are $40.00 and can
be obtained by calling TELE-CHARGE at
212.239.6200.
The theater is located just a couple of
doors down from the corner of 9th
Avenue and West 43rd Street, just three
blocks from New Yorks Times Square.
Mind Games will run through early January and
may be extended further, depending on ticket sales. Its a must
see for Mentalists.
280
An invitation for
the Opening
Night party
My ticket
Volume 4, Number 4
Raj Madhok
Issue # 58
Life Force Triangle

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
The triangle, begins the

Mentalist, is the perfect
representation for so many
concepts. It is not only the
strongest physical structure
but also the straight-sided
polygon with the smallest
number of sides.
Sketching a triangle on a
piece of paper, the performer
continues, There is possibly
even a mystic connection.
A single word is written at each corner
of his diagram; Past - Present - Future.
One participant is asked, Please think of a dream or goal you
cherish. Imagine the ideal future year in which it might occur.
We are going to construct your Life Force Triangle beginning with
that date. Please write, next to the word Future, the last two
digits of that year. For example, if the year is 2010 you write the
number 10. I have an impression about your life force number, so
Ill record that before we go much further.
The mind reader writes his
impression on a second paper and
places it aside, writing side down.
The well-known
For the Past, write the last two
circle & triangle
digits of your birth year, instructs
force
is perfect as a
the Mentalist. Your age goes next
preliminary
to the number for the Present.
presentation.
The performer continues, Now
we develop those numbers further
by placing the sum of each pair on
the leg of the triangle between them. He adds the Past and
Present numbers and writes the total between the two. Past &
Future and Future & Present are also added.
The Life Force Number, the mind reader contends, is
determined after one more step. The number written at each side
of the triangle is added to the one at the opposite corner, producing
a three digit Life Force Number. When both other combinations of
side & corner are tallied, they also total the same number. Its
the number the performer wrote on his paper at the beginning!
To predict the final number, write something such as, I sense
your Life Force Number is... By then, your participant will have
written his Future number. Mentally add it to the current year
(97 + 10 = 107), write in down, and place your paper aside.
281
Lee Earle
Opus Conversam
The Mentalist, holding a hardback book in its dust jacket, walks
into the audience and asks a participant to stand. He has chosen
someone wearing eyeglasses so there will be no doubt that he is
equipped to read text on the pages.
Some words, the mind reader states, have a much higher
subjective content than others. Those semantically loaded words
affect our emotions with far more impact than the rest of the text in
which they are found.
Opening the book at a previously inserted bookmark, the
performer reads aloud a steamy passage, and then remarks, If you
are like most people, your imagination gave extra weight to words
like tingling, squirmed, and clutching.
The performer holds the book above eye level and slowly riffles
the books pages, requesting that the helper place the bookmark
between any two passing pages.
Here, the Mentalist offers, easing the book out of its dust
jacket, Hold on to the book for a moment while I get something to
write on. Please remain standing. He hands the book to the
participant and returns to the stage, reading aloud some of the
literary reviews printed on the back of the dust jacket.
After picking up a drawing pad and jumbo felt pen, the mind
reader gestures in the direction of the standing participant and
asks, Will you now open the book to your randomly selected pages,
please? Place your finger on the top line of either page. Read that
line to yourself. Imagine that you are in the scene or conversation
being described. Im not getting a strong thought; now silently read
the next line. Nothing yet go to the next line. Still boring; go
down one line further. A weak impulse there, too. Down one more
line, please. Is there a strong, lusty, sensational word in that line?
The participant says, Yes.
The Mentalist nods, I thought as much. Focus on that word
only. See it in your mind. Then he writes a word on his pad but
doesnt show it to the audience. Is the word breathless?
No, says the helper.
Thats odd, says the performer, What word are you
picturing?
The participant says, quivering.
The sketch pad is turned around to show, printed in large block
capital letters, the word QUIVERING.
You can find dozens of romance novels at bargain prices on the
remainder table of your local bookstore. That makes it possible to
give the books away after each performance a great logical
disconnect.
282
This presentation
can be adapted as a
prelude to other
gaffed book
routines.
Index the first, last,

and prominent
words from each
page inside the dust
jacket for an instant
reprise.
Locate, near the center of the book, a blank page facing a page
full of text. On the text page, read down several lines until you
find one with a single long or exotic word. That will be your force
word. Remember which line it is on (i.e. the 7th line) so, in
performance, you can coach your participant to that same line.
Locate another memorable, sensual word (the one you will
initially mention) on one of the first few lines. Remember it, also.
You will need two identical bookmarks, each with a satin cord
attached through a hole in the top corner. One bookmark has a
short, steamy passage of text printed on it. Its that text you recite
when you apparently read from the book. This step is crucial it
subconsciously sells everything as normal. If youre using a plastic
laminated bookmark, cover one side with clear, matte finish tape
to provide a surface upon which you can write the text.
The ungaffed bookmark goes between your force pages; push it
flush with the end of the book, its hole next to the books spine.
Fold the dust jacket, upside down, around the book, fitting the
flaps in place as you normally would. Tuck the cord from the
concealed bookmark between the spine of the book and the dust
jacket. Hand pressure holds it there as you perform.
Place your text-bearing duplicate bookmark in the opposite end
of the book so when you open it to read the text, the dust jacket
and bookmark are right side up; the book itself is upside down.
In performance (after youre through reading) give your
participant the bookmark to insert into the pages as you riffle.
Keep everything above eye level so no one can see the reversed
book or the second bookmark. Close the book on the bookmark.
Hold the book by the spine and tip it so the visible satin cord
runs along the top end of the book, between the covers. Push the
bookmark almost flush with the top of the pages and loosen your
grip just enough to allow the book to slide out of the dust jacket
about an inch. Cup your other hand at the bottom of the spine,
momentarily supporting the book & dust jacket and concealing the
hidden bookmarks satin cord (1st illustration).
With your free hand, pinch and hold the top bookmarks cord
tightly against the inside of the dust jacket. Lower your supporting
hand, sliding the book free of the jacket (2nd illustration); the
gaffed bookmark remains concealed inside the dust jacket. A welltimed pivot, orienting yourself for a return to the stage, supplies
cover for the move. Tug on the dangling cord to ease the bookmark
into view, then hand the book over your shoulder to your helper.
Return to the stage while reading aloud the literary reviews
and comments from the dust jacket. (Find some with clever, pithy
comments or write your own.) Place the dust jacket aside as you
take pen and pad to hand. Finish as described.
Your miscall is insurance against someone getting frisky.
When you state the wrong word, there is no longer any incentive to
make you fail, so youre more likely to get an honest reply.
283

Its official! Ray Piatt has sold his company, Magic Makers, to
Mark Strivings. That acquisition makes Mark one of the worlds
major sources of Mentalism props, books, tapes, etc. You can get on
his mailing list if you record your postal information on his
answering machine - 520.774.0804 or send it via e-mail at:
MarkyApril@aol.com.
Morley Budden of Kaymar Magic in the U.K. called to mention
that some customers have sent checks in U.S. dollars for Insight,
the new book prop for word tests. Thats probably because my
recent product mention quoted the U.S. dollar equivalent. Please
keep in mind that when purchasing from overseas dealers,
International money orders in that countrys currency (British
Sterling in this case) or credit cards (which automatically make the
monetary conversion) are more appropriate.
Had a chance recently to look at some brand new offerings from
Kenton Knepper (and co-publisher J. Tank). My favorite is
Completely Cold, a rather interesting method for the application of
psychological and semantic techniques to cold reading. Its a 31page booklet (A5 or 5.5 x 8.5 inches) which contains the basic
system, some sample dialogues to give you the flow, and much of
the psychology behind the technique. Its retail price to SYZYGY
subscribers is $35.00 plus postage.
For those who have either of Kentons Wonder Words tape sets,
the new Wonder Words Workbook is an appropriate accessory. Its
68 spiral bound pages (A4 or 8.5 x 11 inches) contain exercises
which help you utilize the principles of verbal deception in your
patter. This one is $30.00, plus postage, to subscribers. To order,
call: 602.922.1962 or write to 3104 E. Camelback Rd., Suite 312,
Phoenix, AZ 85016. He accepts major credit cards, too.
Here is the latest on the SYZYGYs BEST! Florida lecture tour:
Date
City
Contact
Phone
Jan. 13 Tampa
Bill Dahlquist 813.882.9541
Jan. 15 N. Miami
Mike Shelley
954.987.1039
Jan. 19 W. Palm Beach Ron LaCroix
561.965.3397
Havent been to Central or South Florida in a while (its been
about 3 years, I think), so Im looking forward to seeing SYZYGY
subscribers in the area.
Eugene, Oregon will provide the venue for videotaping this
years lecture, some time in the middle of April. Chip MacGregor
is the local coordinator for the shoot and David Fredric
Ashton, III will be behind the camera once more.
Those looking for a heavy, substantial Hemmingway-style lock
can get one from Ron Spitz for $79.00 postpaid. Similar in method
to the old Keys of Judah; apparently, only one key among ten opens
the lock when, in reality, any key will function when you know the
secret. Details from P.O. Box 60344, Sunnyvale, CA 94088-0344.
284
Wise Words:
There are no
miracles, only
unknown laws.
St. Augustine
Volume 4, Number 5
Lee Earle
Issue # 59
The X Cards

Copyright1997
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Out of Body Experiences, or OBE,

begins the Mentalist, have received a
lot of press lately. On The X Files
(a popular TV program) they claim
peoples minds leave their bodies and
visit all sorts of environments. Who
wants to try an OBE?
After a participant volunteers, he is
asked to put one of his credit cards in an
opaque envelope which he seals and holds.
The mind reader does the same with a card
borrowed from another person.
Relax your mind, suggests the performer,
holding the second card-in-envelope at eye level,
and allow your imagination to perceive details on
this persons credit card. Start with something simple, such as the
cards color or type. Ill give you a clue the first digit is a 3.
After the helpers response, the mind reader momentarily
removes the borrowed American Express card from the envelope
and displays it, saying, My hint was more informative than you
might imagine. The leading number on major credit cards 3, 4, 5,
or 6 denotes American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover,
respectively. Hold up your envelope
and Ill send my mind to look inside.
The Mentalist then describes the
This routine was
hidden card in perfect detail, noting
evolved from an idea
color, type, design, logos, and even
in the upcoming
most of the numbers! The envelopes
Richard Mark book,
are torn open, the information is
Mind Warp
verified, and the cards are returned.
A rubber-banded stack of opaque
coin envelopes, their self-sealing flaps all extended in the same
direction, is held seam-side-up. Put any credit card, face down,
into the second envelope from the top. A spot of adhesive or wax
holds it in place. Tuck the top envelopes flap into its mouth.
Apparently to make it easier for your helper to insert his facedown credit card into the top envelope, you openly tuck the 2nd
envelopes flap into the top envelopes mouth (concealing your
preparation). Squeeze the sides of the stack to yawn the envelope
open and turn your head aside so you obviously cant see the card.
With his credit card safely out of sight, reach your finger into
the envelope and pull out both flaps. In the same motion, continue
to pull the second envelope (by its flap) out of the stack, fold the
Please turn to: X Cards, page 288
285
Pasqual Perrino
Psychic Jeopardy
All day long, a particular four digit number has been
flashing in my mind, proclaims the Mentalist. Since nothing
happens solely by chance, it must be some sort of
premonition. Ive written that number on a page in this
sketch pad. Forgive me for not revealing it right away
but doing so might influence your future decisions.
Continuing, the performer says, I gave our host a
handful of quarters and asked him to purchase some
dollar bills from tonights guests. He was instructed
to store that currency in a manner which
precludes interferrence. Gesturing to the host,
the mind reader asks, Will you join me in front
of the group, please?
Standing next to the performer, the host confirms
that he personally collected the currency and that the
performer has never had access to it. In fact, the wallet in which he
collected the bills is securely wrapped with masking tape!
As the tape is cut to access the bills, the Mentalist continues,
Unless the Bureau of Printing and Engraving goofed, each bill
bears a totally unique serial number. Do you find that to be the
case? The host examines the bills and concurs.
Three persons in the front row are given pencils and each is
asked to take one of the bills. Use your pencil to circle the first
three digits in the serial number on the bill you hold, instructs the
mind reader, or you may opt to circle the last three digits instead.
Picking up a pen & pad, the Mentalist asks the first helper,
Please tell us one of the three numbers you circled.
Six, replies the participant. Good, responds the performer,
Stroke a line through that digit so it wont be used again. Second
and third digits are obtained from the other two helpers in an
identical manner, eliciting the digits 3 and 8, in that order.
The first three digits form the number 638, informs the
Mentalist. Now lets build two more 3-digit numbers. The
selection process is repeated twice more with the resulting 3-digit
numbers written, in column, below the first.
Collecting the bills from his helpers, the performer quips, Since
defacing currency is a felony, Ill take the heat for you. Besides,
these bills were purchased with my quarters. Then he draws a
horizontal line beneath the three numbers and openly tallies the
sum which is written below the line: 1443.
I told you something odd was going on, reminds the Mentalist.
Thats precisely what has been flashing in my mind all day. He
tears off the bottom of the page below the total to reveal, on the
following page, the exact same number!
286
Pasquals other love

is medicine; hes a
practicing physician
whose specialty is
endocrinology.
Three principles are at work in this routine. The first is a preshow bill switch using a Himber-style wallet. After the host
returns with the dollar bills you asked him to purchase
(there will be four because you gave him sixteen
quarters to work with), have him place them in the
pocket of your open wallet. Your four force
bills are in the wallets hidden, duplicate
compartment.
While your host holds the wallet by its
ends, wrap masking tape around the center.
The torn end of the tape serves as an indicator
showing you which side of the wallet to open. It
should be on the same side of the wallet as your
force bills and near the spot where you will need to
cut the tape to open the wallet and access them.
Serendipitously, the uncut tape keeps the wallets
duplicate compartment from accidentally opening while
it temporarily remains in your hosts hands.
Although the serial numbers on the bills are all
different, the bills are nonetheless specially selected. Check
the currency which passes through your hands and save
those bills on which the first and last three digits in their
serial numbers add up to the same total. The sample bill in the
illustration yields a total of 13. You need four bills whose serial
numbers derive identical totals.
Gathering the digits one at a time from each participant, the
first helpers digits become the hundreds column in your final set
of 3-digit numbers. The second participants numbers make up the
tens column while the last helpers digits form the units column.
In this example, the sum of the three numbers
generated will be 1443.
Collecting four bills but using only three adds a
little confusion to the equation for those who would
backtrack in search of a method. Remember to
retrieve your bills after all, you bought them.
Supply #2 (or other soft lead) pencils so you can
easily erase the circles to re-use the bills. Locating
several bills with serial numbers as described isnt
as hard as it may seem. There are only 27 possible
totals of three digits (0+0+0... 9+9+9); avoid those
which have duplicate digits or totals under 10.
Its possible to use force bills with truly random
serial numbers but then you are restricted to using
only three bills. Also you must guide the selection to just the first
(or last) three digits in each bills serial number and you need to
keep track of which participant has each bill to insure that you
collect the digits in a particular order. With all three bills (and all
six 3-digit combinations) producing the same total, life is easier.
287

Beginning with issue #58, Aroldo Lattarulo is providing an
Italian translation for SYZYGY: lingua gratis! Thanks, Aroldo!
Does anyone else wish to volunteer to supply translations into
your countrys language? (No, Morley, but thanks for offering.)
Exciting news! By now the word is out that I am editing,
illustrating, and publishing Richard Marks fabulous new book,
Mind Warp. Subtitled The Subtle Secrets of Richard Mark, it
documents the lifes work of this incredibly creative performer and
innovator. Chapters detail routines which were once commercial
releases as well as closely held secrets which are revealed for the
first time. The book is due for release in June of 1998 and will be a
hardcover edition (similar in size to Ted Lesleys Paramiracles).
Mind Warp will have a retail price of $34.95, but subscribers
can, with no obligation, lock in a price of $27.97 (a 20% discount) by
reserving a copy in advance. You must write, fax, or e-mail your
reservation request to SYZYGY before February 28th. People with
copies reserved will be notified when the book is ready for mailing;
payment can be made at that time. Postage is included for U.S. &
Canadian addresses; its $7.00 (airmail) to all other countries.
Im overwhelmed by all the holiday greetings subscribers have
send. It simply isnt possible to respond personally to each one, so
please accept my holiday wishes for you and yours, with all the best
for the coming year.
X Cards, continued
flap closed to seal it shut, and hand it to your participant. Ask him
to press the flap in place to seal it firmly (so he feels the card).
Place credit card #2 face up into the top envelope, above the
participants card already inside. Remove this envelope from the
stack in the same manner as you did the first one but dont seal it
yet. Stand about six feet away from your helper.
After your participants attempt at remotely viewing credit card
#2 in the envelope you hold, tip the envelope so both credit cards
slide partially out of the envelope into your cupped hand. When
they are aligned, his card will be perfectly hidden behind card #2.
Hold the card(s) by diagonally opposite corners showing the face of
card #2 as you explain the numbering system. The numbers and
design on his card stare in your face! Memorize all that you can.
Put the card(s) back in the envelope and seal the flap. Focus on
his card in the envelope he holds. Describe what you remember
from your glimpse. Scribble and make notes on the envelope in
your hand.
The cleanup is simple. Hold both envelopes together and tear off
the ends so you can dump out the contents. Its assumed the two
cards which slide into view come from different envelopes. Your
extra card stays hidden inside its envelope, to be recovered later.
288
Wise Words:
You dont leap a
chasm in two
bounds.
Chinese Proverb
Volume 4, Number 6
Mark Strivings
Issue # 60
Chip Shot

Copyright1998
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Tossing his money-clipped bankroll

on the table, the Mentalist begins,
Gambling addicts are always looking for
action of any kind. Legend has it that
wagers have been made on things as
unlikely as which of two lumps of sugar a
fly would alight upon first.
The performer deals four Aces, face up, in a row in front of a
participant. I have made a mental wager that one of these Aces is
destined to play a part in a future payoff. Please drop your left
hand on one of the Aces. The participant complies.
Next, we determine an amount for the imaginary wager,
informs the mind reader. Well use my cash and, if my
premonition is incorrect, you can keep the money. He fans
through the bills showing all the different faces of the currency.
Just so you dont automatically pick the highest bill, winks
the Mentalist, lets leave that part to chance. Reach out and cut
the stack. The bottom bill on the portion you cut off is the one
well use. The participant does as instructed and cuts to a $5 bill.
With only five bucks at risk, the pressures off, remarks the
performer as he turns over the three non-selected Aces; they have
different backs, from the MGM, Trump, and Stardust casinos. He
asks, Which casino supplied your
card? Harrahs, is the reply.
With just a hint of smugness, the
Mark is on his way
performer tosses his money clip to the
to becoming the
participant. Decorating the clip is a
nations best-stocked
Mentalism dealer, a
$5 chip from Harrahs!
Nelson of the 90s.
Souvenir stores, in Las Vegas,
Atlantic City, etc., are a great source
for the gambling materials and clip.
Youll need twenty or so bills (half of them $5s) in crisp, nearly
new condition. Trim about 2-mm from the long edge of the nonfives to make them narrow. Arrange the bills so every other one is
a five. The bottom bill of the cut off portion will be a five while, on
top of the remaining pile, another denomination is seen.
Psychology forces the proper card. When selecting from a row
of four, the end choices are usually ignored as being too obvious.
The second card from the participants left, the spot most often
chosen, is your force card. Raise your odds by using an Ace of
Spades as the third card; its often rejected as bad luck. Adjust its
position slightly just as you ask your helper to cover a card.
Equivoque (verbal control) and the Pick Any Two, Eliminate One
(PATEO) force are options for the faint-hearted.
289
Randy Shaw
Tangled Web
The Mentalist quotes, Oh, what a tangled web we weave,
when first we practice to deceive. Thats from Sir Walter Scott,
I think. Its easy to tell a lie but very tough to maintain the
prevarication because, through conscience or karma, we tend
to give ourselves away in the long run.
Sixteen small business card sized panels are shown, each
with a different photo or illustration on one side and blank
on the reverse.
This is a two-step process, explains the mind reader, so first,
we must determine which image will be the object of your focus and
then we will run a series of evaluations to observe your nonverbal
responses. Please mix these panels, blank side up, before we
begin. The participant shuffles the cards.
Since neither of us knows the location of any particular image
in the group, remarks the performer, begin by thinking of a key
number between one and sixteen. Lock that key number into your
mind. Whichever of these images turns up at that position will
serve as your random selection. If, for example, your key number
is one, please remember this, first image. The first panel is dealt,
from the face down packet, onto the table, face up.
Continuing to deal the panels in a face up pile, the mind reader
instructs, If your key number is two, please keep in mind this
second image. You get the idea, Im sure. One by one, all the
panels are dealt onto the face up pile which the performer gathers
and turns face down.
Now we begin four quick evaluations, informs the Mentalist.
Ill separate the panels into two piles. All you need to do is
determine which pile receives the panel bearing your image. He
deals the cards, face up, alternating between two piles, all the
time closely observing the participants eyes.
The performer asks, Which pile contains your image?
This one, indicates the participant, pointing to a pile.
Lets do the second run, suggests the mind reader, stacking one
pile atop the other and repeating the previous division of the images
into two piles. Again, he gazes into the helpers eyes.
The image fell in which group? asks the Mentalist.
Answering, the participant says, The one on the left.
Now its your turn to divide the images, exactly as I did, directs
the performer. I want to observe your hands as you progress.
Once again, after two piles are produced, the participant is asked to
indicate the packet in which his image is found.
Fascinating, replies the mind reader. One more division
should provide the key. Do it again and then tell me which group
holds your image.
290
Randy credits John

Racherbaumer and
Alex Elmsley for the
method underlying
this presentation.
For a fourth time, the sixteen panels are assembled and then
dealt by the participant into two alternate face up piles. At the
conclusion of his task, the pile containing his image is indicated.
The calibration is complete. Youve given me all the clues I
need to decypher your deception response, smiles the Mentalist.
Now erase the image youve been keeping in your mind; were
about to determine a new one. Remember your key number?
Good. Well repeat the same selection process remember the
image at your key number.
One by one, the faces of the panels are shown to the
participant, this time no one else is allowed to see the images; each
is placed face down as it is dealt into a row on the table.
Your microexpressions gave you away, informs the performer.
If Im not mistaken, your key number was twelve. Correct?
The participant verifies that his key number was twelve.
The Mentalist pushes the twelfth face down card in the row
forward and says, Since no one else knew or saw the order of the
images as you determined your second one, its still sixteen-to-one
that anyone could guess that particular selection. Here comes the
fun part. For each question I ask, you may tell the truth or you
may fib. Its up to you. Is your image of a person, yes or no?
Yes, is the reply.
Interesting, says the performer, but false. Drawing or data?
The participant says, Drawing.
That is true, the mind reader verifies. Abstract or precise?
Abstract.
Not so, chides the Mentalist. One final check - inside or
outside?
Inside, says the participant.
Then, before he turns over the 12th card in the row, the
performer proclaims, Actually, you were focusing on the drawing
of the little house with the tree out front, yes?
The participant admits, Yes. The card is turned over to verify.
Use photos or advertisements cut from a newspaper and glued
onto index cards or just make drawings on the backs of your
business cards.
You need to remember only three things: 1) As you gather the
two packets for the next alternating deal, always place the face up
pile without the image on top of the other face up pile; 2) Turn the
assembled packet face down and deal the cards from the top of the
face down packet, and; 3) Remember the very first card shown to
the participant during the first selection. After running through
the two-pile process four times, that card will be positioned at the
participants key number for the second selection.
To determine the participants key number, look for that same
card during the final two-pile separation and remember its
numeric location once the piles are stacked together.
291

Australias Bryan Wood has found a steady gig in Melbourne,
at Cafe Crypt which features a small theatre for its performers. (I
have a faint memory of having lectured in a similar venue when I
was there last wonder if its the same place?) If youre in the
neighborhood, youre invited to drop in.
Charles Buckner is at it again, with the release of his new
Charlies Brain Twisters, a 20-page mixed grill of material which
includes his news prediction as well as a couple of other gems from
his performing repertoire. This is good stuff from a good guy and,
for only $15 postpaid, its a good deal, too. Contact Charlie at: 1118
Berwick Road, Birmingham, AL 35242 or call him at 205 980-1703.
Want to see the Larry Becker & Lee Earle roadshow (last
seen in 1991 as the Mental Magic Super Symposium) one final
time? Were looking groups or individuals to host a reprise of the
full-day event this fall, so if youre interested, let me know as soon
as possible. Larrys schedule is pretty full now and mine is already
overloaded, so well need to lock in a date quickly, before the
opportunity passes. Major areas which missed us last time: New
Jersey/New York, Chicago, and Detroit. Well consider others as
well, but will probably stick to major metropolitan areas in order to
ensure attendance goals.
At my recent West Palm Beach lecture, Florida subscriber
Jerry Somerdin pressed a package into my hand and asked me to
review the product within. It turned out to be a Boon-style Swami
Gimmick, well made and nicely priced at $11, postpaid. Im not
known as a fan of Boon writers (due to my very fleshy thumb which
results in diminished control) but was surprised at how easy this
device was to use. To get one at this modest price, contact Jerry at
3933 Summer Chase Court, Lake Worth, FL 33467-2464.
Good friend, Psychic Entertainers Association member, and one
of the founders of Arizonas fabled Six and One-Half, Barry
Silverman, was recently appointed as the newest judge on the
United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
An editorial note the illustrations for Tangled Web in this
issue were chosen from among those Ive collected from the
audience during my performances (searching in vain for common
themes, duplicate drawings, etc.). I thought they would be
interesting to readers.
SYZYGYs BEST! lecture dates approaching:
Date
City
Contact
Phone
Feb. 26
Aliso Viejo, CA
Tom Clifford
714.488.9533
Mar. 2
San Francisco, CA Loyd Auerbach 510.676.5501
Mar. 16
Chicago, IL
Mike Auclair
708.707.7717
If youre near one of these areas, be sure to catch the lecture.
The most common comment: I had no idea this material would play
so well in performance. Yup. It does. Come see for yourself.
292
Wise Words:
Haste is of no
value to those
headed in the
wrong direction.
Anonymous
Volume 4, Number 7
Lee Woodside
Issue # 61
Key to Success

Copyright1998
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Many people spend their entire

lives looking for their key to
success, begins the Mentalist,
not realizing that they
already possess it, in the form
of their own unique talents
and abilities. The secret is to
identify the right lock that
your key can open.
Handing one key and
several identical, small locks
to a willing participant, the
Mentalist asks, Please try
the key in all the locks it should fit only one of them.
As the participant tests to find which lock the key opens, the
performer continues, The key is a metaphor for your strengths
and individual attributes. Each of these several locks can be
thought of as a success opportunity for the person with the key
set of skills. Success is so often simply a matter of perseverance
knocking on enough doors (or trying the key in enough locks) until
we attain our goals. Have you been successful in opening one of
the locks? The participant acknowledges only one lock opens.
The mind reader produces a large
shipping envelope (or mailer), dumps
out a stack of self-sealing coin
This piece has all
envelopes from within, and tosses the
the right stuff for
large envelope onto the table, saying,
use by a
Good. Lock it once more and then
motivational
seal one lock in each of these small
Mentalist.
manila envelopes. When youre done,
well put the lot in the big mailer.
The participant complies and the performer holds the large mailer
open as the envelopes with the locks are dropped inside.
Did you notice, continues the Mentalist, that each envelope
has a green label on its face? The labels cover something written
there. For example... He reaches into the mailer and withdraws
one envelope and removes its label. Beneath it is printed the
word, Journalism.
I can see, says the mind reader, that the media do not
represent your personal path to fortune. You are a man of action,
not words. He tosses the envelope, lock still inside, onto the table
and then takes another envelope from within the large mailer,
saying Lets try another.
Please turn to SUCCESS, page 296
293
Dave Arch
The Tender Touch

Built upon The Eye Of The Beholder from
Al Korans Legacy by Hugh Miller, this old
chestnut now has a new reason to continue
living! Its a wonderful piece for establishing
the credibility necessary for stronger
mental miracles.
The Mentalist begins, Im
often asked the question, How
does one heighten senses to the
point where its possible to read
people so well that it seems as
though one is actually reading minds? It
begins with sharpening the five physical senses.
The performer brings out a deck of cards and
places them, face down, on the table in front of a participant. Ill
show you how I practiced to develop an enhanced sense of touch,
mentions the mind reader. Please lift off a block of cards and place
them aside for a moment. The exact number doesnt matter for
now, but be sure to leave plenty for me.
The participant cuts a packet of cards from the top of the face
down deck and puts them to one side on the table.
Would you please give me approximately half the deck, asks
the Mentalist, In fact, just count out twenty-six cards for me to
hold. The participant counts twenty-six cards from the top of the
face down deck onto the performers outstretched hand, one card at
a time.
Now place your block of cards on my other hand, please, asks
the mind reader. After the participant complies, the performer
holds the original uncounted stack in one hand and the group of 26
in the other, moving his hands lightly up and down as if judging the
weight of each packet.
One by one, the Mentalist thumbs off and drops cards from the
set of 26 until he suddenly stops. Thats it! The number of cards
in each group should be the same. Lets count. The remaining
cards are dropped to the table in pairs, simultaneously one from
each hand, as the performer counts aloud, ...seventeen, eighteen,
and the final card from each group ninteen!
You need only: 1) Know the twenty-sixth card down from the
top of the deck; 2) Make sure that the participant takes less than
half the deck (26) in his first uncounted packet, and; 3) Drop cards
from the face of the counted stack until youve dropped all cards up
to and including your previously memorized twenty-sixth card.
The rest is showmanship!
294
Dave is at the top of

his game as a
corporate trainer,
seminar leader, and
Mentalist.
Banachek
Clean Sweep
A feature on the first

part of the broom
stunt was published
in a recent National
Enquirer issue.
The performer enters the stage carrying a wooden handled,

straw broom, saying, There are psychics who claim that, through
mental concentration, a broom can be caused to stand on end, with
no visible means of support.
The Mentalist passes the broom among the
audience as he continues, Take a good look at it. Its
the same kind of broom any good witch or bad witch
might take a ride on. All thats necessary is to place the
broom upright, like so... The performer demonstrates,
standing the broom on its straw end with
the handle pointing straight up.
Then, continues the Mentalist,
concentrate as the hands are removed and the
broom stands upright by itself. The broom remains
rigidly in place on the stage as the
audience responds with applause.
Not yet, admonishes the
entertainer, moving away from the standing
broom, because this is a simple parlor stunt. Lots of
people know the subtle secret. What would really be amazing is if
one could mentally influence the broom to fall on command.
The Mentalist gestures across the stage toward the upright
broom and it instantly falls over, in a direction away from the
performer!
The broom should be an old-fashioned straw broom with a flat
sweeping end. Those modern, angled head or plastic fiber brooms
will not work. In order to get the broom to stand, simply press the
broom firmly against the floor, causing the straw fibers to splay out
just a little to form a broad base which will support the broom.
The weight of the broom prevents them from straightening out.
Toppling the broom on cue is easy, too. Run a thread along the
stage, tied to a firm anchor at ankle height or attached to a strong
motorized reel. The end of the thread has a small bead attached.
When you stand the broom, place it right on top of the thread with
the bead directly next to one side of the straw head.
When its time for the broom to fall, either activate the
motorized reel or take the slack out of the thread by dragging it
with your leg. The bead will pull the bottom of the broom toward
you and, as a result, the broomstick will topple away from you.
But, please, no mother-in-law or Hillary Clinton jokes when you
bring out the broom.
295

Congratulations to Banachek (see his Clean Sweep in this
issue) has been named Performer of the Year by the Association for
the Promotion of Campus Activities.
I keep getting questions asking whether rival newsletter
Quintessence is still in publication. In this niche market,
subscribers have come to expect some eccentricity in publication
schedules, but eight months without an issue is pushing the limits.
Publisher Bob Cassidy explained in a recent telephone
conversation that he has been overwhelmed with local performance
dates and promised that the mega-issue he is preparing will get
the newsletter back on track.
Note to the mis-remembered contributor: Id love to
publish your Scotch Encoder and/or Time Matches On ideas but
lost the Post-it with your name on it. Please get in touch. Thanks.
Mentalist Craig Karges recently wowed em at the National
Speakers Associations Winter Workshop in Norfolk, VA with his
inimitable version of the floating table and a clever variation of the
Confabulation plot. Nice going, Craig!
SUCCESS, continued
Removing the label, the performer advises, Accounting is
probably not your prime interest either. You require much more
physical activity. That envelope is tossed on the table, as well.
Another envelope is taken from the mailer, but its label is left in
place. You have a strong desire to help others. That, and your
need for excitement, bring me to sense that your job choice will be
one in which public service is more important than monetary
rewards. What is your career goal?
I plan to be a firefighter, remarks the participant.
The Mentalist peels off the label on the envelope he holds it
reads Policeman/Fireman beneath. He tears open the envelope,
tips the lock into the participants hands and says, Try your key.
It will be a perfect fit. And so will you be, in your chosen career.
The key opens the lock, of course.
There are two locks which the key will open. One is among the
set of locks tested by the participant and the other is in your pocket.
The unsealed envelope with the participants career choice under its
label (learned during pre-show work) is lightly taped inside the
large mailer and stays there when you dump out the other labeled
empty small envelopes. Dropping the mailer flat on the table
quietly emphasizes that theres nothing inside.
When you withdraw the first envelope, the finger palmed
duplicate lock is left inside the mailer. As you take out the second
envelope, you slip that lock into the empty envelope taped inside.
Use removable, colored labels to cover the career choices,
written in large block capital letters, on the small envelopes.
296
Wise Words:
Those who live
by the sword get
shot by those
who don't.
Indiana Jones
Volume 4, Number 8
Sal Franchino and Jack Dean
Issue # 62
Eye PSIght

Copyright1998
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
There is a strange
phenomenon, grins
the Mentalist, known
as Deja-Vu. Id explain
what it is but I have the
uncanny feeling Ive done
that already. In fact, Ive recorded a number of my personal
favorites on a card in this envelope well get to that later. He
places the large envelope where the audience can see it.
Continuing, the performer states, My premonitions involved
images, visions, from passages in books, so I brought a few from
my personal library. Now you know my darkest secret I read
and enjoy romance novels. He displays a stack of five books.
Earlier, informs the mind reader, many members of the
audience wrote, on colored papers, a random two or three digit
number, to specify a page in a book. A small box was passed
around to collect the papers. Will the person with the box please
stand? One participant rises.
Please bring the box and its papers to the platform, requests
the Mentalist. Bring two other helpers with you. The three
participants are introduced and welcomed.
Opening the box containing the papers from the audience, the
performer offers it to the first
participant and says, Take any
paper and read aloud the number.
Your prediction can
He does so. You took a green paper,
also be recorded on
remarks the mind reader, so take
an audio cassette, to
another green one and read that
be played in
number. It should be different. It is.
performance.
The Mentalist hands the
participant one of the five books and
instructs, Take the page number on one more green paper and
turn to that spot in your book and read, to yourself this time, the
first line or two on the page.
As the first participant is thumbing through his book, the
performer asks the remaining two participants to each take a
paper of a different color and to use the numbers thereon to locate
page & passage in their books.
This procedure, contends the Mentalist, has ensured that
each of you has arrived at a random phrase, sentence, or passage.
One more time, each of you please read the first line on the page
you have determined in the novel you hold and keep that image in
your mind while I read something aloud.
Please turn to Eye PSIght, page 298
297
Eye PSIght, continued

The performer opens the envelope and recites what is written
there, As I prepare my thoughts for my upcoming performance,
three images swirl in my imagination: a blonde woman perhaps in
a red dress, dancing or exercising; something pertaining to eyes or
vision; and a long, narrow room dimly lit with candles. Turning to
the three participants, he asks, If my deja-vu decscriptions match
the visions you hold in your minds, raise your hands. All three
participants respond!
Several principles are at work here. First, obtain five paperback
novels which have similar phrases, referring to eyes or vision, on
the first lines of several pages:
Kiss the Girls by James Patterson, Warner Books, 1995,
pp116, 189, 205, 263, 423, 455;
Skin Deep by Nora Roberts, Bantam, 1987, pp39, 118, 141,
215;
More Than Friends by Barbara Delinsky, Harper, 1993,
pp51, 111, 178;
A Jury of Her Peers by Jean Hanff Korelitz, Onyx, 1997,
pp100, 347, 425;
Brighton Road / The Sugar Rose by Susan Carroll, Fawcett
Books, 1988/87, pp35, 68, 110, 131, 166, 264, 309.
If you cannot find these particular books, just browse the
romance novels in a well-stocked used bookstore. Youll find a
surprising number with similar characteristics.
Also needed is one of those paper cube / desk memo pads with
squares of paper in different colors. Youll need five colors, one for
each book. Each page number listed for a book is written on an
identically colored paper, using different handwriting styles.
You will also attach a price tag of the identical color,
bearing a handwritten figure of about 75-80% of the books
cover price, to the back of each book. Before the show
begins, give members of your audience a half-dozen papers
of each color, requesting that they write a two or three digit
number on each one. Mention that youll pass around
something to collect the slips later.
Please dont use a change bag. The perennial O.M. Candy
Box, tied with a ribbon to keep it closed, will do nicely.
Papers pushed through a slot in the top actually go into a
compartment which is attached to the lid. Remove the lid
and the audiences slips are stolen away leaving your force
papers remaining in the bottom of the box.
Once a participant has taken a colored paper, give him the book
with the same color price tag. Dont be clever and try to force it,
just hand over the book as if it didnt matter.
Two of the predictions are red herrings dummies which
reinforce the multiple entendre; all three participants will
unknowingly acknowledge the same eyes/vision image!
298
Larry Beckers
Chamelion Chest
will substitute for
the O.M. Box (from
The Jinx, #137)
Scott Shoemaker
Picture Perfect
Scotts original
submission involved
a playing card
your universe is not
limited to that.
While walking through the audience on his way to

another participant, the Mentalist stops for a moment
and looks at a woman quizzically. Im sorry, did you
say something? he asks.
No, is the reply.
The performer shrugs his shoulders and goes about
his business, occasionally pausing to glance back at the
woman, as if puzzled. Each time he stares for a moment
into the womans eyes, shakes his head, and continues in
what he has been doing.
Back on stage, the mind reader once again looks at
the mystery woman and asks, I know you didnt say
anything, but are you holding a thought for me?
Her reply is, Yes, I am.
This is going to be a challenge, remarks the
performer, Have we met before this occasion?
No, is the answer.
The Mentalist asks, Would you place your thought
right in the middle of your mind? And give me a little hint,
please. Are you visualizing a person, a thing, an
emotion...?
Im thinking of an item of apparel, responds the woman.
Picking up a sketch pad the performer instructs, Place your
hand lightly on my wrist as I move the marker over the pad. Close
your eyes.
His hand is a blur as it dashes the marker back and forth over
the paper leaving a line here, a stroke there. Bit by bit, an image
takes shape. With the womans eyes still closed, he reaches into
his pocket and withdraws a blue pen and fills in some of the details
in the sketch.
What is the vision in your mind, he asks of the woman.
I was thinking of a one-piece swimsuit and a big hat.
What color? asks the Mentalist.
She says, Both the hat and swimsuit are blue.
The performers sketch shows a woman wearing a blue
swimsuit with an enormous hat!
This is a clever application of a pre-show force and some
intentional double-speak. Riffle-force a page in a fashion catalog;
classic force a postcard from an exotic location; use a stacked set of
recipe cards, phonics flash cards, or sewing pattern packages.
Imagination is the key to a successful presentation. This entire
piece plays best when it seems off-the-cuff, as if you decided to
throw caution to the winds and chance it all.
299

The video shoot for SYZYGYs BEST!, Volume III is set for April
18th in Eugene, OR. The finished product should be available in
mid-May upon my return from the U.K. Its price will be $34.97
plus postage.
Speaking of lectures, heres my itinerary for the months of April
and May (the * denotes conventions):
April 29 Parsippany, NJ
Greg Ferdinand 973.361.2602
SCOTLAND
May 1-3 Dunoon, Scotland* Ron Gordon
01569 730885
WALES
May 5
North Wales
Noel Massey
01244 822619
ENGLAND
May 6
Leatherhead
Colin Peters
01306 883938
May 7
Bath
Tony Griffith
01275 837017
May 8
Westen-Super-Mare Tony Griffith
01275 837017
May 10 South London*
Terry Delmont
01737 553033
May 11 The Magic Circle
Marc Paul
01813 611471
May 12 Birmingham
Mike Gancia
01214 593040
May 13 Upminster
Morley Budden 01708 640557
May 14 Sussex
David Clarke
01444 483896
May 17 Ipswich*
Doreen Knott
01449 612446
May 18 Blackpool
Derek Lever
01253 810113
During all the hoopla for the inaugural season of the Arizona
Diamondbacks baseball team, Dick Steiner flew into Phoenix to
entertain the baseball owners. We had time for lunch and good
conversation before he had to catch a plane back to Baltimore.
You will certainly have noticed by now, tucked in with this
issue, a flyer describing the SYZYGY product line. It represents a
small change in publication policy. Early on, to satisfy any doubts
that SYZYGY would be content-driven, it was decided that no
advertising would be accepted. To that end, I treated my personal
product line as if it were offered by any other company and sent it
via co-op mailings. Now that the newsletter and the product line
have been merged under the same organizational umbrella, it
seems silly, expensive, and inefficient to put SYZYGYs products
into separate mailings.
New from Brian Watson of England is his combination Sim
Stones and Sim Stone Manual. Its a set of rune-like stones for
doing readings with the engravings on the stones mnemonically
linked so memorizing the symbols is a snap. Accompanying the
stones is a comb-bound 6 x 9 inch booklet of about 60 pages which
gives interpretations, layouts, etc., and includes a bonus chapter on
what to expect when working psychic fairs. Dont know the price (I
suspect it will be around $50) but you can contact Brian at 108
Grimsby Road, Cleethorpes, N.E. Lincolnshire, DN35 7DP, U.K.,
phone (44) 1472 314922.
300
Wise Words:
Money is like a
sixth sense
without which
you cannot make
the most of the
other five.
Sommerset
Maugham
Volume 4, Number 9
Peter McCahon
Issue # 63
See-Thru Psychometry

Copyright1998
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Psychometry, begins
the Mentalist, is based
upon the belief that some
essence of ones personality
is transferred to personal
possessions. Those
practiced in the procedure
can actually hold such an item
to sense and describe many of the
owners individual characteristics. They
claim to be observing the persons aura which
has, in an unexplainable manner, been absorbed and re-emitted
from the inanimate object. Others insist that the psychometrist is
actually reading nonverbal, subliminal cues given off by the
objects owner.
Picking up a package of clear, zip-top food storage bags, the
mindreader approaches an woman in the audience and says, Lets
see if theres anything to it. Please take a plastic bag. Ill tell you
how to proceed as soon as several others have bags. Four others
pluck pop-up bags from the carton.
Each of the ladies holding a plastic bag should now stand and
face away from the platform,
instructs the Mentalist. Please
remove an item from your purse and
Peter verbally
place it in the bag you hold. Then zip
described this
the bag closed and place it inside
routine to me at a
your purse before you turn to face me
stop
on my English
once again.
lecture tour.
Once all five have completed their
tasks, they are invited to join the
performer on the platform. He
continues, The plastic bags lock in aroma and prevent touch, but
the main sense, sight, needs to be dealt with as well.
Handing one of the ladies a tray laden with strips of adhesive
tape and squares of cloth the Mentalist asks, Would you please
help me construct a blindfold? The tape is placed, the cloth is
wrapped & tied, and soon the performer is rendered sightless.
Now that its empty, instructs the performer, please place on
the tray all of the plastic bags containing your treasures; then pass
the tray to the person standing closest to me. Thank you. Has
everyone done that? Good. Would the lady holding the tray please
hand me one of the bags? Just put the very corner of the bag
between my fingers. Thank you.
Please turn to SEE-THRU, page 302
301
SEE-THRU, continued
For this and each of the remaining bags, the Mentalist first
outlines the personality of each items owner, then describes the
object within the bag, and finally returns it to the proper person!
This is a nice twist on the standard blindfold and psychometry
routines, combining the best of both. The mix of methods also offers
a confusing trail for skeptics to backtrack.
As for the bags, buy the kind which come in a dispenser box
from which they pop up, like tissues. Remove four bags (if you
intend to use five in your performance - one neednt be marked) and
encode them by pushing a pin through the thick plastic near the
zip-strip. One pinprick for bag #1, two for bag #2, etc. Be sure and
space the pinpricks about an inch apart; this isnt Braille.
The resulting holes are, for all practical purposes, invisible but
can easily be detected by running your fingers along the zip-strip as
you transfer your grip on the bag from one corner to the other.
This hand-to-hand exchange is quite natural and is never
commented upon. It should look as if you are keeping the bag at
arms length as you turn, first to address the audience and then the
group of ladies on stage.
Return the bags to the dispenser box so theyll be pulled out in
order: one hole, two holes, three holes, four holes, and no holes.
Allowing your participants to pull them from the box emphasizes
and reinforces their innocence. Of course you must remember
which person took each marked bag
To describe the contents while blindfolded, a standard down-thenose peek is employed. There are plenty of resources for blindfold
methods already in print; a simple handkerchief around the head
and over the eyes will do. The technique is made simpler because of
the tray, which should be a very light color to help delineate the
items in the bags. A dark, patterned, or textured surface could be
trouble. When the tray is held by your participant at a natural
level it will be in perfect position for your peek. Take a good look at
all five items on the tray as you are instructing its holder how to
hand you an item. The misdirection is perfect.
Once the baggie is in your hand, hold it high overhead; you never
allow it to come below eye level. As you turn to address your
comments to the group of ladies, glimpse the tray, observe the
remaining items, and thus deduce the objects identity. If you
forget details about the item you hold, resist the temptation of
lowering it into nose-peek view. Just go on to the next item.
Theres plenty happening here, with the personality readings (a
good source for them is The Mental Mysteries and Other Writings of
William Larsen, Sr. - a great book!), the psychometric return of
each item to its owner, and the blindfolded descriptions, so you
neednt be perfect with every item. In fact, being not quite exact
goes a long way toward establishing and enhancing credibility.
302
My first reaction to
this routine was
that its too busy Ive changed my
mind; it plays well!
A sleep-mask, particularly
one with an airline logo on
it, is a suitable blindfold
for this routine.
James Cuthbert
Tourist Trap
I combined Jims
idea with a favorite
of mine (postcards);
they complement
one another well.
My uncle travels the globe, informs the performer as he

places a group of postcards on the table, and when I was younger
he brought these from all over the world. When he visited, he
would empty his pockets of the loose change he had collected at his
exotic ports of call. My playthings were rubles from Russia, rupees
from India, and rials from Saudi Arabia.
The Mentalist also spreads a dozen or so small coin envelopes
in front of him on the table, saying, Here a few of my treasures,
each in its own envelope. He spills the coin from inside each of
three or four envelopes and vividly recounts the memory it evokes.
There are several envelopes left, each holding a coin from
some mysterious, distant place, says the mindreader to a
participant at the table. Please place your hand lightly on one.
Spreading the face up postcards from hand to hand, it can be
seen that no two are the same as the Mentalist explains, There is
often an affinity between things which share the same origins.
Lets see if that holds true today. Cut a portion of these postcards
off the top to choose one at random. He turns the cards face down
and shows how to grasp the stack by the long sides.
The participant complies. Youve found the card from Paris,
France, mentions the performer. I wonder if any of the other
envelopes contain coins from there? He empties the envelopes to
reveal coins from many countries but none from France.
The Mentalist remarks, Thats interesting. Read whats
written on the card. The participant reads aloud, Dear Nephew,
Paris is a wonderful city but I was surprised to learn all the public
toilets require money to use. If you ever visit the City of Lights
be sure to keep a 1-franc coin in your pocket, just in case.
Sliding the coin from the chosen envelope, the performer says,
And now you can feel safe making the trip. Its a 1-franc coin!
Use Larry Beckers Coinetic envelopes, a double compartment
envelope made by inserting a panel cut from the face of a second
envelope. Put the French coin in one side and a randomly selected
foreign coin in the other. To pour out the desired coin, open the
envelope to the proper compartment and squeeze the sides of the
envelope to keep the second coin trapped inside. Ungimmicked
envelopes hold the first 3 or 4 coins shown.
The postcard deck is stacked. Every second card (all random
countries) is cut narrow by 2 millimeters. The interspersed cards
of regular width are all from France and can bear coin messages
appropriate for their pictures fare for a taxi, admission to a
museum, etc. When your participant lifts a block by grasping the
long sides, a wide (force) postcard will be on the face of his block.
303

Both of the routines published in this issue are
contributions from generous performers I encountered
while on my recent lecture tour in Scotland, Wales, and
England. One of them, James Cuthbert, is the man
responsible for my first overseas lecture invitation, for
the 1994 Scottish Association of Magic Societies
(SAMS) convention in Montrose, Scotland. He and his
wife Ina were there to greet me for this years conclave.
It was held in Dunoon, a short train and ferry ride
west of Glasgow. The convention headquartered at the
Argyll Hotel pictured here. The white tent at the right
is where all the lectures were presented. To a
wonderfully appreciative audience, I might add.
Further dates took me the length and breadth of the
U.K., ending up at a one-day convention in Ipswitch.
For the second time on the tour I was surprised to learn
that I was expected to do an act in the evening gala
show. Following Ali Bongo, no less!
This, by the way, is something I would never have
agreed to do if I had known it was in the works. Not
the bit about following Ali - hes a class act; I mean the
part about doing Mentalism amid magicians. I feel
Mentalism presented for an audience expecting a magic
show just aint the same. My fault; I should have been
on top of it. Anyway, I bit the bullet and cobbled
together 15 minutes of mental magic, performed in my
sport coat, and everyone was happy.
Following my lecture at The Magic Circle in London,
the glamorous Faye Presto offered to drive a few of us
to a private Soho club for late-night adult beverages.
Our transportation for the evening was a converted
dumpster! In London, its called a skip; an angular
steel container in which construction debris is deposited
to be hauled away later for disposal. You see them
everywhere (London is under perpetual renovation), in
streets, on sidewalks (pardon - footpaths), and being
trucked on the way to the dump.
As we drove along the very posh Oxford and Regent
streets, people would do triple-takes as first they saw
us, then they noticed us, and again when they stared
unbelieving at these zany idiots in hardhats motoring around in
this outrageous, bright yellow vehicle! It seems to hover an inch or
two above the ground. You cant see the tires at all.
Fay, in the center photo, says she loves being able to park
anywhere meter or not with no problems. She just pulls a tarp
over the top of the vehicle, transforming it into just another skip.
304
Diane DiResta
Issue # Q14
How to Handle
Difficult Audiences
(Editors note: This Quarterly
Supplement features the expertise of
one of my colleagues from the National
Speakers Association. While there are
some differences between performing
Mentalism and corporate speaking,
there are abundant similarities to
which you can apply Dianes advice.)
Youve polished your act. Youre
rehearsed and ready. You stride on
stage and there they are the
audience from hell!
3D Strategy

Copyright1996
SYZYGY
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How do you move from panicked to professional? Change your

outlook. Use the 3D strategy: Depersonalize, detach, and defuse.
Step one is to depersonalize. Realize that people come with
their own emotional baggage and agendas. One woman walked
out of my friends opening
presentation because she was
wearing an Elvis costume and the
Diane works with
audience member did not like Elvis.
organizations and
It had nothing to do with the
individuals who
entertainers talent or competence.
want to be confident
So dont take it personally.
presenters.
Step two is to detach. That means
that you dont engage the ego. Once
you go head-to-head with that heckler you set up a competitive
dynamic. Do not let your emotions get out of control. Ask
questions to gain understanding. Do not get defensive.
Step three is defuse. Dissipate the negative energy. One of the
best defusers is humor; take a light, playful approach. If you get
tense, the negative energy will increase.
Managing Resistance
To get a handle on a difficult audience, begin to recognize the
signs of resistance. Are they side-talking, reading the paper,
challenging you, having difficulty understanding directions, or
sitting with closed body language? If you have ever felt like you
305
were working too hard to get a response, chances are you were
dealing with resistance. Once you recognize resistance, figure out
where it is coming from.
Reasons for resistance fall into three categories: How To,
Chance To, and Want To.
Is the reason for resistance that they dont know how? Then
provide clearer instructions on how you expect them to participate.
Is it that they dont have a chance to be productively involved?
Lets say you asked audience members to turn to a partner and
discuss a point you just made, and some people do not respond.
Maybe they cant find a partner. When this is the case, provide an
opportunity.
The last reason for resistance is a lack of motivation. You ask
for a volunteer to come on stage, and nobody moves. Perhaps they
dont see the benefit. Make it fun; offer a prize. Your job is to help
them see the value.
To break resistance, use a pattern interrupt. In other words, do
something different. Shake them up. Pick up the pace. Tell a
story. Get them involved. Children at play are not resistant. Have
fun. But, most of all, break your own resistance. Are you doing
anything that is contributing to their resistance? Are you too rigid?
Are you following a script that just isnt working? Are you reacting
to a difficult person instead of responding to the situation?
Cast of Characters
Who is the personality that can really push your buttons? Is it
the know-it-all or the whining complainer who finds fault in
everything? To stay cool and in control, begin by recognizing which
type of person will set you off. By pinpointing this person, you will
strengthen your ability to handle him.
Here are a few difficult personalities and how to handle them:
Eager Beaver This person is always the first to participate
and is eager to help. This makes it difficult for others to respond.
Acknowledge their contributions and suggest that others
participate.
Expert Challenges your authority; argues with others. This
may truly be a person with expertise who wants recognition.
Acknowledge comments without getting defensive. (Remember,
depersonalize, detach, defuse.) Ask the group for other opinions.
One of the best strategies is to play to his or her expertise. Invite
and recognize the experts comments. Soon you will have an ally
instead of an enemy.
Rambler This is a storyteller. You ask for the time, you get
the history of watchmaking. To manage the rambler, cut in,
summarize the comments, and ask for other opinions. Dont let
them drone on.
306
Poor Loser These people will not admit a mistake. They

dont have the ego strength. Do not back them into a corner.
Instead, agree to disagree. Let them save face.
Dominator Wants to control. He or she may not be an
expert but can intimidate a group by monopolizing the
conversation or activity. Dont let dominators take over. Ask for
other responses. Use humor. Jokingly, say, Someone other than
Jerry. If that doesnt work, call a break and speak to that person
privately.
Side Conversations Two or more people engage in regular
conversations during your presentation. If it is a large auditorium,
ignore it. In smaller groups, this behavior can be distracting.
Make eye contact with the talkers and stop speaking until they
look up. You can also confront them directly and ask them to hold
their conversation until later. Or try the walk technique. Walk
toward them, stand in front of them, and keep talking. They will
get the message.
Negative Very resistant and negative about you, the subject
matter, and doesnt want to be there. Begin to acknowledge his or
her concerns. Deal with the problem immediately. Paraphrase
your understanding of the issues. Ask the group to problem-solve
or offer to discuss the concerns later.
Complainer/Whiner Finds fault with everything. Likes to
whine but has no solutions. He or she is not necessarily negative
about the subject matter, but likes to complain. This person will
with respond with, Yes, but... to your solutions. Dont go there;
this is a no-win. Instead, ask the audience for alternatives. Stay
focused and move on.
Hecklers Do not play their game. Try to ignore them and
continue your program. If the heckler gets no response from you,
he may give up. A clever retort will only challenge the heckler to
come back at you again. Instead, walk over to him and put your
hand on his shoulder as you keep talking to the audience. Do not
show any hostility or use any put-downs. Another technique is to
ask the person to identify himself - most hecklers prefer
anonymity.
When dealing with difficult audiences, remember that the
disruptive behavior is a symptom of an unmet need. The expert
needs recognition, the poor loser needs to be right, the whiner feels
helpless and wants to be cared for. When you can give them what
they need, the behavior will disappear. Since this is not always
possible, you still have a choice of how to deal with it. You can
stay in control or let it control you. Your best strategy is a sense of
humor. In most cases, it is not about you.
The next time you meet a difficult audience, take a 3D view.
Depersonalize, detach, and defuse.
307
Diane DiResta, A speech/communications coach and author, is

president of DiResta Communications, a communication skills
training company. Her book, Knock Out Presentations: How to
Deliver Your Message with Punch, Power, and Pizazz, is due in
November. Contact Diane at 718 273-8627 or dianed1@idt.net.
(Editors Note: Ms. DiRestas approach parallels my philosophy
regarding contemporary Mentalism.
If the performer approaches his audience with the attitude of
Look how special I am, the audience will sense that implied
arrogance and will react to it usually in a negative way. Thus are
sown the seeds of skepticism and disbelief.
The performer who incorporates the Chinese menu attitude,
demonstrating one from each of several categories of psychic
phenomena, will find an intelligent audience reasonably considering
the question, If you are so skilled at all these things, why arent you
wealthy? Good point.
Besides, the more claims you make, the more often you feel
compelled to defend them.
At its core, the idea of mindreading can be very scary and
intimidating. Imagine, heres a person who can peer into our minds
and extract various thoughts. He can influence our otherwise
random decisions. He can forecast our future actions. In short, he
can be a nightmare personified.
Thats why its important to show Mentalisms gentle side.
When the Mentalists performance and on-stage demeanor
emphasize cooperative engagement with the audience, the outcome is
not only more entertaining but the negative reactions from members
of the audience are reduced to nil. The Mentalist has taken steps to
ensure that he is not perceived as threatening.
Thats the essence of one of Mentalisms hardest learned lessons;
it isnt about the performer, its about the audience. Mentalism
addresses and seemingly validates the fantasy each of us has
that such things as deja vu, intuition, and precognition are possible.
Any success is due to a cooperative attitude between Mentalist and
audience. He credits his participants for every on-stage success
knowing that there will be ample applause left over for him.
The Mentalist who displays humility, incorporates humor, and
appears sensitive to the audiences unvoiced concerns is the one who
ultimately achieves greater success. When he enables, empowers,
and energizes his audience making them the winners in each
segment of his presentation and motivating them to explore their
unrealized talents & capabilities he is artfully employing the
Platinum Rule: Give the lady what she wants!
Thats contemporary Mentalisms vital secret.
308
Volume 4, Number 10
T.J. Mosier
Issue # 64
Common Cents

Copyright1998
SYZYGY
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Long term precognitions,

or predictions, explains the
Mentalist, are chancy at
best; short term prophecy is
somewhat more reliable.
He removes from his pocket
some loose change and places
four coins, a quarter, a dime, a
nickel, and a penny in a row in
center of the table.
Displaying his clenched right
fist the performer asserts, In my
hand I have a prediction of sorts,
involving these four coins.
A nearby participant is asked, Use your
right hand to slide a coin toward me and keep your
finger on it. While you might be influenced by the value of a
particular coin or by its size, please dont let those aspects control
your decision. In other words, dont let greed or any latent feelings
of inadequacy control your decision. Its only forty one cents.
He slides one of the coins towards the Mentalist, in this
example, the nickel. The performer
opens his right hand and displays a
nickel in the palm of his hand!
Not quite fully
Three methods are at work;
impromptu,
this
equivoque, the evergreen Adams
presentation
Nickel-Penny-Dime trick, and
appears
to be so,
multiple outs. The Adams coin set
and it slays em.
consists of a shell nickel, a shell
penny that will nest in the nickel
shell, and a regular dime that nests
in the penny shell. Nested together they look like a regular nickel.
Place the four coins from your pocket on the table starting from
your left: quarter, dime, nickel and penny. The nickel will be the
second coin from the participants left. The nested shell coins are
in your right fist. When your helper is asked to slide one of the
coins towards you, in accordance with the concepts of equivoque,
his first choice should be the nickel, second from his left.
Your remarks should steer him away from the quarter because
of its relatively larger value and size. Likewise, your patter is a
subtle influence against the dime (the smallest coin) and the
penny (the lowest value}.
Please turn to Common Cents, page 310
309
Common Cents, continued

His only recourse is to pick the nickel because it does not meet
any of the stated attributes and is in equivoques position of choice
and convenience.
This really works. Keeping records during trial performances,
the nickel was chosen 87.3% of the time. During the other 12.7 % of
the time is where the multiple outs come in using the nested shells.
The options for the multiple outs are as follows:
If the participant slides the quarter: You have given me the
quarter, keeping the nickel, dime and penny. The very coins that I
predicted would remain. Un-nest the three coins as you remove
them one at a time from your right hand, placing them on the table.
If the participant slides the dime: Instruct your helper to slide a
second coin forward, this time using his left hand, also keeping his
finger on the coin.
(A) If he slides the quarter, pocket the dime and quarter with
your left hand stating, You retained the penny and the nickel. The
very coins that I predicted you will keep. Pull the nickel (shell) and
penny (shell in which the dime is nested and hidden) from your
hand and place them in view.
(B) If the nickel is pushed forward, say, As I predicted - you
would finger the nickel and the dime. Remove the nickel (shell
with penny shell nested) and dime from your hand to display.
(C) If the penny is pushed, continue by quipping, Since both of
your hands are occupied, use your nose to push one, final coin
toward me. Or, if youd like, just tell me and Ill move it for you.
(1) If he indicates (or nose-pushes) the quarter, say, Only the
nickel remains in play. Precisely the outcome I envisioned. Show
the nickel (shell with penny shell and dime nested and hidden).
(2) Should he slide the nickel, remove the penny, the nickel shell
and the dime, placing each next to its mate on the table. As you
can see, you remark, my premonition is 100% accurate.
If the participant slides the Penny: Instruct him to slide a
second coin forward, using his left hand as above.
(A) When he slides the nickel, you remove the nickel shell and
the penny shell (with the dime nested and concealed) and place
them on the table to match his choices.
(B) If the quarter is pushed, retrieve both pushed coins (penny
and quarter) and place them in your pocket, stating, The dime and
the nickel remain, the very coins that I predicted. Remove the
dime and the nickel shell (concealing the penny shell beneath).
(C) When the dime is pushed to join the penny, instruct the
participant to slide a third coin forward, as in (C) above.
(1) Should the quarter be pushed, say, Youve spent 36 so your
remaining net worth is just 5, as I predicted. Open your hand
showing the nickel shell (penny shell and nested dime inside).
(2) If the participant slides the nickel, the three coins will match
the un-nested contents of your right fist.
310
While this routine

seems complicated,
a few trials with
coins in hand will
show its really easy.
T. J. Mosier
Eddie Burke
Tossed Out Trio
Eddie tips his

exclusive handling
for the classic
Tossed Out Deck
routine.
In David Hoys original Tossed Out Deck presentation, he used

a one-way force deck (51 duplicates, one odd card on the face)
around which was stretched two rubber bands. He
lobbed the deck into the audience and asked
whoever caught the pack to remain standing, lift
a block of cards to peek at the index of one card
and one card only, then pass the deck to two
more participants who would repeat the process.
Then Hoy would name the force card (and any two
others) asking the three participants to sit if he
mentioned their cards. Everyone sits. It is a brilliant
classic of Mentalism.
This version uses a three-way force deck (17 each of three
different cards, plus the odd card on the face). Thats been done
before, too. What follows is Eddies very clever handling.
His three-way force deck is comprised of a black card (6S), a low
red card (3H), and a red court card (JD), plus the odd card for the
face (9C). In his inside jacket pocket are three jumbo cards, one of
them the 6S and any two others not matching the force cards.
After the deck is peeked by three participants and retrieved,
you name aloud the two red force cards (3H, JD) and the odd face
card, (9C), asking those who hear their cards named to sit.
When all three take their seats, you have a miracle.
When only one remains standing, you know he is thinking of
the 6S. Thats when you pull the matching jumbo out of your
pocket, back toward the audience, and ask him to name his card
aloud. Then turn the jumbos face to the audience and accept
heightened applause for an even greater miracle!
Should two folks remain standing, pull out two jumbo cards,
the 6S and either of the others. Show them to the audience,
saying, I had a premonition that two of you would remain. If one
of these cards, the Six of Spades and the King of Hearts (for
example) is yours, please sit down. Both participants will sit.
Again, the appearance of precognition elicits additional applause.
If standing trio remains intact, remove all three jumbo cards
and proceed as in the above paragraph. The visual impact of the
jumbo cards adds an instant applause cue and turns this classic
into a great opener.
Before you call out the initial three cards (and for lay audiences
only), Eddie suggests you say to the three, I get the sense that all
of you are thinking of cherry-colored cards, yes? Those who
peeked the 6S, will not agree to which you reply with the old gag,
How about black cherries? Now you know who is thinking of the
6S. Pat your coat where the inside pocket is and say, I have
something special in my pocket, just for you. Continue as above.
311

Oh, the travails and pitfalls of publication! SYZYGYs print
shop went belly up in July, and it really made for some hectic
moments at this Editors desk. All of our negatives, plates, camera
ready art, and special inks were under the building landlords lock
and key. If it werent for the efforts of one of the print shops former
employees (who rescued all the stuff), Id still be in deep limbo.
Everything is back on track, now.
Several new products to tell you about. As most subscribers
know by now, I only mention products I like, from people I like.
Nobody pays me for plugging an item and all review copies become
door prizes at SYZYGYs BEST! lectures.
Germanys Satori has polished and published his outstanding
work on muscle reading (formerly available only to members of the
exclusive Psychic Entertainers Association). The 5.5 x 8.5 inch, soft
cover, 68-page book, entitled Making Contact - The Real Secrets of
Contact Mindreading is simply the best treatise available on the
subject today. Highly recommended. H & R Magic Books, 3702
Cyril Drive, Humble, TX 77396, $25.00 (postpaid, if you mention
SYZYGY). Call them at 281 454-7219 or contact via e-mail at
hatch@ghg.net.
Cybersight is the newest electronic wonder for covert
communications between performer and his assistant or secret
helper. It is a pulse transmitter which operates on a discrete
frequency and is quite well made. Its pricey (about a thousand
bucks) and is available from Kaymar Magic, 189a St. Marys Place,
Upminster, Essex, RM14-3BU, England. Phone Morley Budden
at +44 0170 864-0557.
Doc Dixon has produced a really clever item (Extra! Extra!
Read All About It! ) which should delight close-up workers who use
playing cards. Essentially, it is a Bicycle back playing card which is
printed on the face with a typical guarantee of quality - similar to
that which is on the 54th or 55th card in a commercially purchased
deck. But the guarantee text is set up per the U.F. Grant Want-Ad
test for a seemingly impromptu word test. It comes with a booklet
of instructions, tips, etc. which combines to make it a good value at
$14.00 postpaid. Order yours from P.O. Box 68, Sutersville, PA
15083 or call 412 619-3301. E-mail Doc at DocDixon98@aol.com.
Richard Webster is truly one of Mentalisms most prolific
authors. He came through Phoenix last month on a book-signing
tour for his general market publisher, Llewellyn Press, promoting
Feng Shui for Beginners, 101 Feng Shui Tips for the Home, and
Spirit Guides & Angel Guardians, all available at your local
bookstore. These books are targeted at the non-performing, New
Age public but will still provide plenty of fodder for crafting
contemporary presentations (if thats your market).
312
Wise Words:
Imagination
compensates us
for what we are
not; humor
consoles us for
what we are.
Anonymous
Richard Webster & Lee Earle
Volume 4, Number 11
Vincent Sabitino
Issue # 65
Time Matches On

Copyright1998
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
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Each of us can recall an instant which

is frozen in time, reminds the Mentalist.
Those moments are memories which are
anchored to some significant event - the
birth of a baby, the tragedy
of an airliner crash, or
that 70th home run.
When reminded of those
momentous events we
will always remember
where we were and what we were doing at the time.
Turning to one of the persons sitting next to him at the table,
the performer says, Rather than trivialize one of your deeply
rooted memories, lets invent a new one. Imagine some important
event in your future and picture yourself experiencing it. Now
lets set an arbitrary time for that moment. Please remove your
wristwatch so I can hold it for a moment and tell me your name.
She says, It is Sharon.
The Mentalist accepts the watch, pulls out the stem, and spins
the crown while allowing the tableside audience to see the hands
circling around the dial. To someone across the table, he asks,
Please take Sharons watch and keep
it beneath the table. No one, not
even you, should observe the watch
An audacious switch
as you turn the crown and spin the
and a Harry
hands to set a random time.
Lorayne card move
He stretches his arm beneath the
combine to make
table and hands the watch to the
this a timely routine.
second participant, instructing, Give
the crown several turns, in either
direction. Leave the stem pulled out
so the time selected doesnt change.
As the hands on the borrowed watch are being randomly set,
the Mentalist writes something on a scrap of paper, folds it, and
then holds it in his hand as he extends it under the table toward
the participant with the watch. Lets trade. Take the folded paper
and return Sharons watch to me, carefully placing it in my hand.
Thank you. Just hold onto the folded paper for the moment.
The performer says, Sharon, please take your watch back and
note the time of your future memory. Then describe for us the
image youve created. She gives an oral description of the
imaginary event.
Please turn to TIME, page 314
313
TIME, continued
And at what time will this occur? asks the Mentalist. Seven
sixteen, Sharon replies.
Please open the paper, the performer asks the second helper,
and read aloud what is written. He reads, I foresee your
remarkable, future event occurring at about a quarter past seven!
To force the time for this routine (how else?) you require a
generic womans wristwatch one with a medium sized, round dial
and a strap (rather than an expansion band or bracelet). In
advance of the routine you must spot a woman wearing a similar
watch who will be your first helper. After you show how to set the
time with her watch, give the crown a few more turns to reposition
the hands, then glance at the watch to remember that time as you
reach beneath the table as if to hand it to your second helper.
The duplicate watch is in your lap being warmed between your
legs (so you are not betrayed by a cooler-than-body-temperature
stand-in). After your hand reaches maximum extension, keep your
upper arm firmly against the edge of the table and pivot your
forearm back toward your lap. Secretly switch the borrowed watch
for your own, which will be taken by the second helper.
While that helper is setting the time on the never-seen watch,
write your prediction including the glimpsed force time on the
paper. Take the folded paper in your hand and extend it beneath
the table. As before, reach back to retrieve the borrowed watch.
Fold the straps against the watchs face and back and press it up
against the bottom of the tabletop. Use the tip of your thumb to
hold it there. As the second helper takes the paper from your
hand, replacing it with your duplicate watch, she wont feel a thing
out of the ordinary.
The instant your duplicate watch is returned to your open
palm, grasp the borrowed watch in your fingertips and, with no
delay whatsoever, withdraw your hand (dropping the duplicate
watch into your lap on the way by) from beneath the table and
hand the borrowed watch back to its owner and finish as described.
Be sure to reset the ladys watch after the applause.
TOKEN, continued
Each personality assessment is standard cold-reading, tied in
with the specifics of the piece selected. For example, the Flatiron
might indicate a very dependable, hard-working person; the Dog
may indicate loyalty, openness, a love of nature, etc. As with all
Pseudo-Psychometry routines, the return of the object to the correct
individual isnt the important part its the reading. Make your
readings sing use lots of visualization and imagery to build
pictures in their minds eyes.
314
To increase this
routines versatility,
obtain two or three
other common styles
of ladies watches.
Terry Parrett
Token Psychometry
This is a fun routine

because almost
everyone has a
favorite Monopoly
game token.
Hasbro, Inc., the company that now makes the board game
MONOPOLY, recently announced that they were adding a new
game piece to the existing lineup, begins the Mentalist. They
conducted a public survey to decide which of several possible
options would be selected as the new token. He spills a small
handful of game tokens onto the tabletop.
The performer reveals, In a side note, as if the government
didnt waste enough of our tax money already, it seems a
psychology study was recently funded to determine if an
individuals selection for a game token is not just a random
choice but instead one which reveals a great deal about ones
personality. Lets see how the two tie together.
To begin the demonstration, the Mentalist distributes small
manila coin envelopes, one to each of five participants. As he places
the tokens into a small open-top container he remarks on a few of
them. The race car is always a popular choice, he mentions,
because it indicates a restless spirit, a desire for travel, and
sometimes a bit of a rebellious streak. The cannon is often selected
by younger men - theres a Freudian connotation as well, but that
doesnt concern us at the moment!
Each of you will, in turn, select a token. You may take the one
you always use when you play the game, you may select one at
random, or you may try to confuse the issue by selecting one you
never use. After you select your token, please seal it in an envelope
and place it in the center of the table. I wont look as you make
your selections. The performer averts his gaze.
The pieces are selected and the envelopes are deposited on the
table. The Mentalist mixes the sealed envelopes a bit, takes one
and opens it, revealing the Top Hat. He remarks, An interesting
choice. The Top hat indicates a person who is very personable, one
who moves well in almost any social circle from bikers to
businessmen. It indicates a desire for social acceptance and
approval and perhaps a little insecurity at times. I believe that this
is the piece that Jennifer would select. He indicates the lady
sitting to his left, who concurs and agrees that his description did
indeed provide an accurate picture of her personality.
This is repeated for the remainder of the group.
The envelopes, of course, are marked as per Annemans PseudoPsychometry. You can also nail-nick the edges, trim the flaps
slightly, or use your favorite method of marking. You just pass
them out in order, enabling you to know which person receives
each envelope. Later, when you tear open each envelope to obtain
its token, youll learn which person chose that piece.
Please turn to TOKEN, page 314
315

Yours truly recently returned from Montral, Canada after a
week-long visit. The main purpose was to attend Spectram Magics
regional convention and to share the bill (lecturing and performing)
with the likes of Mark & Nani Wilson, Larry Becker, Harry
Lorayne, Guy Hollingsworth, Patrik Kuffs and others. What a
delight to meet so many of SYZYGYs Canadian subscribers face-toface for the first time! Another personal highlight - after all these
years - was having the opportunity for some insightful conversation
with the Wilsons, backstage and over dinner. Mark Wilson and
his Magic Land of Allakazam were a positive, formative influence
for many of us in the baby boomer generation. He and his wife, the
lovely Nani Darnell, are a handsome, gracious, and obviously
loving couple.
The Image Collector, a new peek wallet (actually a business card
case) is now available from Richard Mark. This novel utility prop
comes with a 15-page instruction booklet and not only allows for an
unseen glimpse at what a participant has written, it also allows for
the covert use of a nail writer on a card inside the case. Its nicely
crafted for Richard by Ray Piatt and is available to SYZYGY
subscribers for $55.00, postpaid to U.S. addresses (add $5.00 for
postage elsewhere). Order from Richard at 3 Grove Isle, #702,
Coconut Grove, FL 33133.
Ralf Frlich has developed something interesting a wordless
book test. Imagine a full-size, 100 page coloring book with a single
illustration on each page, none duplicated. Your participant has a
free choice of any drawing, any page and yet you are instantly able
to do a drawing duplication, perform instant mind reading, or even
produce a written prediction. Its not a high-end item (after all, it is
a coloring book!) but its a useful utility prop for any Mentalist.
Order Picto Mental 2000 direct from Secret Wonder Lab (they
accept MasterCard & Visa), Brockenberg 10, 45549 Sprockhvel,
Germany - Phone & fax: +49 2339 921 814. Its $69.00 plus postage.
Texans and Oklahomans should mark their calendars if theyre
interested in attending the newest SYZYGYs BEST! lectures this
November. Ill be in Dallas on Saturday, October 14th for both a
lecture and a workshop; contact Mark Roberts, (972) 241-9898 for
reservations and info. For the Houston area, your contact is
Lonnie Frankel, at (713) 528-6036; this October15th, Sunday
event is a 4-hour combination lecture & workshop. Finally,
Monday, October 16th will find the lecture in Oklahoma City,
courtesy of Lee Woodside and the local I.B.M. Ring. His number
is (405) 946-1436.
Brand new in your local bookstore: Never Be Lied To Again by
David J. Lieberman. This book supplies a detailed listing of the
nonverbal signals we send when being untruthful things we need
to be aware of when crafting our presentations.
316
Wise Words:
The difference
between stupidity
and genius is
that genius has
its limits.
A. Einstein
Volume 4, Number 12
Jeffery Poncher
Issue # 66
Telepathic Honeymoon

Copyright1998
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
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World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
The Mentalist begins, Ive

written, on the backs of my
business cards, places where
couples go for romantic getaways.
He shows each card and reads
aloud each place, one by one, to his
tableside audience, London,
Tahiti, Paris, Venice, Rome,
Niagara Falls, Acapulco, Las Vegas, New Orleans,
Rio de Janerio, Paris, Sarajevo. . . Sarajevo?! Ah,
thats for more adventuresome honeymooners. (He
tosses that card aside.) Finally, theres my favorite
vacation spot Honolulu!
After placing an postcard, picture side down, on
the table, the performer spreads the cards just
enough to allow a selection without the destinations showing and
says to his participant, That postcard is from a romantic
destination which will be in your future. Please point to one of
these cities. The participant complies.
The card is pulled from the fan; Paris is written on it. Ah,
Paris, reminisces the mindreader, Now look at the postcard.
The participant flips over the postcard which shows Honolulu.
Now read the message. He does
and it says, I ran out of Paris
postcards. Hope this will do.
Small script for the
Start with two legitimate business
postcards message
cards; writing on the blank sides
keeps anyone from
youll print Honolulu on one and
easily reading the
the gag city (Sarajevo) on the other. message in advance.
All the other business cards
begin as blank on both sides. Each
card has Paris written on one side and one of the other, random
cities penned on the reverse. The cards begin in your right hand,
the random city names facing up, with the Hawaii card on the
bottom, the gag city card second from the bottom and a card with
Paris written on both sides third from the bottom.
In performance, take the cards one at a time from the top of the
packet into your other hand. When you reach the gag card, turn
the card over as you toss it to the side. This allows the
participants to catch a glimpse of the printed sides of the last two
business cards, reinforcing their normalcy. At the same time,
rotate the hand holding the other cards so you can point to the gag
city that also turns over the stack of cards in that hand. The last
card, Honolulu, is then placed on top of the reversed stack.
Please turn to Honeymoon, page 320
317
Tony Kent and Lee Earle
Brain Book
In the middle of pulling words from participants minds during a
word test presentation, the Mentalist requests of his audience, If
youre not already ahead of me on this, each person here should
bring a single, hard-to-spell word into mental focus.
Stopping in front of one participant, the Mindreader asks,
You have a tough word in mind, dont you? Yes, is the reply.
Take this, instructs the performer, handing a paperback
dictionary to that person, and look up your word. Raise your
hand when youve found it and Ill get back to you. He
continues his earlier presentation until he notes the new
helpers hand is raised.
Walking back to the participant with the dictionary, he
questions, Did you check the spelling? She answers, Yes.
Who else, asks the Mentalist, retrieving the book, is
thinking of a problematic word? Several persons raise their
hands and the dictionary is tossed to one of them with the
command, Look it up. He turns back to his new helper.
I couldnt help but notice that you opened the dictionary near
the middle, states the performer. Likely, the word you have in
mind begins with an M or an N. Thats a substantial hint.
Pausing for a moment, as if calculating in his head, the
Mentalist then says, Then youre probably thinking of
mischievous, right? The participant answers, Yes!
Without looking in the direction of the person now holding the
dictionary, the performer says, Close the book to eliminate page
position as a clue but remember the page number first. Do you
have it? Whats the word? Skeptical, declares the book holder.
Well, you wont be much longer, insists the Mentalist. That
word is between skeptic and skepticism on page 318, correct?
Absolutely, confirms the participant.
One more, informs the performer, Who else wants to try? A
hand is raised and the dictionary is tossed to that person.
This time, just think of your word, the mindreader asks,
pausing as if in concentration. Whisper it to the person sitting
next to you then go to page 117. The participant flips through
the pages and stops as directed.
Youll find your mentally selected word in the left column,
directly below cafetorium, reveals the performer. Youre
thinking of caffeine. Absolutely, confirms the helper.
How? Make several photocopies of the hard-to-spell word page
printed here and trim them to a size appropriate for use on an
impression clipboard. With a non-writing stylus, underline the first
and last words on the sheet to mark the lists exact position for
later reference.
318
This change of pace

concept developed
during a telementoring session
with Tony - try it!
Before the show, approach several attendees, asking each to

mark the word which, among those listed, is the most difficult to
spell. Then he or she is directed to take the page and memorize
the correct spelling for
possible use in the
show later.
Ask the first helper
to circle the word, the
second one to underline
his choice, the third to
draw a box around it,
and the fourth to draw
an X through the
word. If you are
careful about aligning
your word lists in the
exact same position
every time, this allows
you to use only one
clipboard.
Select persons
wearing brightly
colored clothing or with
recognizable features
so you can easily spot
them in the audience
later.
When backstage,
learn their selections
by laying another word
list on top of their
circles, boxes, X-marks,
and underlines, using
your underlined cues to
perfectly position the
list.
Memorize the
associated info (page
numbers, location, etc.)
from the small,
paperback dictionary
you will use during the
show.
The rest is
presentation.
319

The King is dead Herb Dewey, that gentle, good, and
gracious King of the Cold Readers, died in his sleep October 10th.
Corrections to the errant information published in the last issue
for Texas and Oklahoma SYZYGYs BEST! lecture dates:
Nov. 14 Dallas
Mark Roberts
(972) 241-9898,
both a lecture and a separate workshop;
Nov. 15 Houston
Lonnie Frankel (713) 528-6036,
combined lecture and workshop;
Nov. 16 Okla. City Lee Woodside
(405) 946-1436;
lecture only.
October 2nd saw the premiere of the SYZYGYs BEST! Volume 4
lecture in Denver and it is a winner! All of these routines read
quite nicely in print of course and in lecture presentation they have
expanded into some awesome performance material. If the lecture
hasnt come to your locality for more than a year, please let me
know and Ill do my best to get it booked there this Spring.
I know, Volume Four is not yet complete but it was time to put
the lecture together. Heres how it has been working out the V-2
lecture was built with 4 issues remaining to be printed in that
Volume; the lecture for V-3 didnt include material in the last six
issues of Volume Three. This time, the selection was made from
those last six issues of Volume Three and the first ten issues of
Volume Four.
Heres an interesting book: Abracadabra! Secret Methods
Magicians & Others Use to Deceive Their Audience. Author
Nathaniel Schiffman reveals some of magics most closely held
secrets (and some of Mentalisms good stuff, too, such as nail
writers and pre-show work). Schiffman himself obviously isnt a
Mentalist because, reflecting the attitudes of most magicians, he
mistakenly asserts, Mentalism is one of the areas where its
common to use stooges or plants to some degree or another. Right.
SYZYGY is about to release something new in Mentalism a
wordless book test! (Yes, I have decried the use of the term book
test both in publication and in person, but the phrase wordless
word test doesnt have the same sizzle.) Still untitled, this item is
a utility prop which will become essential for any working
Mentalist. In design for the better part of two years and now in
beta-testing with a few full-time, working performers its going to
be ready for this years holiday shows. Watch for a special, prepublication offer to SYZYGY subscribers.
Honeymoon, continued
Spread the cards slightly, showing none of the duplicate names.
If Honolulu, the top card, is chosen then the postcard is flipped over
and you stop there. Any other card that is selected will force Paris;
thats when you turn the postcard back over and read it.
320
Herb Dewey
Wise Words:
You have the
power to plant
positive seeds
never abuse that
power.
Herb Dewey
Quentin Reynolds
Quarterly Supplement # 15
Dealing With Disaster

Copyright1998
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
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World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
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Its about 1987. Im watching TV. Paul Daniels, Britains top

magician is
introduced. He
appears upstage
centre. After a few
opening remarks he
points to a man in
the front row and in
his cheeky manner
he tells him to
Stand Up!
The man stays
put and mutters
something. Stand
Up! repeats Paul.
Ive no legs,
came the clear reply.
My heart jumped
and I held my
breath. What would
you do? This is the
Royal Variety show.
The Queen is in the audience; 15
Quentin is a
million are watching the live
versatile speaker
broadcast. Without skipping a beat
and entertainer who
Paul walked downstage Im not
makes his home in
proud, Ill come to you, and
Dublin, Ireland
continued as if nothing had
happened. That is confidence,
professionalism and experience.
Is there a short cut to this? My belief is YES. But some work is
involved. To start you must rehearse your act. Yes, you can
rehearse mentalism. You must know where all your pens,
envelopes, books, pads are. Otherwise you will fumble looking for
them. They should be in the exact same place EVERY show. You
must also know where all participants will stand when they will be
on stage with you.
It is vital to think of everything that can go wrong and decide
in advance how to cope with it. Even with this your audiences will
discover novel and inventive ways to unintentionally trip you up. I
321
recall performing Bob Cassidys version of Fourth Dimensional

Telepathy. The first person put the card in the envelope without
folding it, the second sealed the folded card in her envelope along
with the pencil and the third sealed the envelope without inserting
the card.
(Editors note: I have long contended that giving clear, concise
instructions and then confirming understanding on the participants
behalf - without seeming too controlling - is a vital skill for any
Mentalist.)
You only know your act when everything that can go wrong has
gone wrong. Al Koran is well know for developing outs for every
conceivable situation. He would even ask his friends to think of
possible dangers. He would never include any routine in his act
until he had an effective out for any eventuality. (He is also
reputed not to have told his friends his solutions.)
Mentalists are also opportunists. I recall that John Booth once
had a friend phone just before a show with the result of a sports
game. His friend was at the game and had the backstage phone
number. During the performance Booth predicted the final score.
Some of those present had transistor radios and tuned in to learn if
Booth was correct. The radio announcer gave a different result
entirely. Booth was amazed, but said nothing.
However in a later bulletin the announcer admitted he had
made an error and juxtaposed two results. Booth was right after all.
An amazing coincidence and Booth took full advantage of it.
It is vital to keep your cool. Eight years ago I watched a
mentalist at The Magic Castle do a dictionary test. Someone was
asked to call out a number between one and nine hundred. 410
was the reply. The mentalist asked the lady holding the dictionary
to open to page 410. She thumbed through the pages. She seemed
to be taking her time.Just turn to 410, said the performer,
somewhat impatiently. Again there was a delay. The mentalist lost
his cool. For Gods sake woman, just go to page 410, he shouted.
There isnt a page 410, said the lady, its missing. If he had kept
his calm he could have turned the coincidence into a miracle. The
one page called out at random is MISSING. However, by obviously
showing annoyance he had lost his authority, and his audience.
The most important thing is confidence. Gene Perret, chief
script-writer for Bob Hope put it like this: You must step onstage
as if you belong there, as if you were born there. When you take the
stage and grab the microphone, you have to be in charge of the
room, of the audience and of yourself. You may be terrible. Your
material may be amateurish. I dont care. You still have to project
confidence.
322
Quentin is one of a
few Mentalists who
are members of the
National Speakers
Association.
It is a joy and a lesson to watch a master entertainer at work.

The audience senses they are in safe hands, relaxes and trusts the
performer. As long as he does not break this trust, they are happy
to be led. They want to be sold first class entertainment.
So you have done your homework and are now onstage. In
mentalism, without the audience, there is no show. By definition
therefore, you have far more involvement than any other
entertainer (bar childrens entertainers). So you are open to far
more interruptions and unpredictable occurrences than a magician
or a comedian.
I dont recall ever reading from my large but not exhaustive
library of mentalism books about the very real possibility of a
spectator not being able to read. Over twenty years ago Dublins
John Ryan had a young man on stage and handed him a book. He
was about to present Korans A Word In Thousands. The helper
whispered I cant read. Oh, you forgot your glasses, said John
as he retrieved the book and used someone else. So maybe in your
booktest you might let the audience know you will need people who
can read without their spectacles. If anyone shows the slightest
reluctance, just keep going.
What if members of your audience are fairly drunk or smart
alecky? Perhaps you feel they will name the wrong card, or change
their mind at the wrong time. Here, effects like Korans Medallion
and Alan Shaxons Confabulation are a godsend. All the items or
numbers suggested by the audience can be called out from their
places. No one has to come on stage (except to verify the
prediction). Mind you, I once saw a magician performing
Confabulation in an retirement home. He asked a man to stand up
and count the change in his pocket. The lights were in the
performers eyes and he didnt realise his helper was wearing
pajamas and in his wheelchair. Later, you can always do cold
readings ALA George Andersons Dynamite Mentalism or as
described in Richard Websters Psychometry from A to Z.
An onstage helper says something that catches you out and the
audience knows it. How do you acknowledge him and regain
control? Paul Daniels apparently removes something from his
pocket and puts his hand up to the helpers mouth as if putting
something in it. Very good, have a lump of sugar. The lump of
sugar gag is used as a running gag by Terry Seabrooke. Paul only
uses it for the above purpose.
Handling hecklers is always an interesting task. The more
authority and confidence you exude the less you will have them. It
is not my style to put them down or challenge them. The very best
323
way of dealing with them is knowing their first name. Don Alan
used this technique on a national TV chat show when he was
interrupted by Henny Youngman. Don paused, looked at Henny for
a moment and said Hiya Henny. Thats all, and there were no
further comments from Henny. The most important thing to anyone
is their identity. They are known by their name. This is an
extremely powerful technique. If you know in advance that a
certain person may interrupt, you can secretly find out their name.
Lets say you want to use this technique and you have no
advance warning. Do not ask a heckler for his name directly. If that
person is with friends, you may get a false name which will further
erode your control of the situation. The whole audience will realize
he has one up on you and it will make it difficult to regain
command. Instead start talking to the person seated beside the
heckler. Make friends with him and, in your short conversation,
learn his name. Then ask for the hecklers name. Now you can go
back to the heckler armed with your secret weapon.
Irish comedian Dylan Moran handled a woman who kept
interrupting his act with ridiculous questions. He waited until
audience hostility turned against her and then said, I dont have
the skills to argue with you. Other people have those skills in
addition to the stethoscopes and the white coats.
At one show I was interrupted with silly questions by a
somewhat drunken yuppie. After a while one of his friends said
Dont mind him. I replied Its OK, Ive done childrens parties for
twenty years, Im used to this. Always remember, no matter how
wonderful you are, about 5% of the audience will not like you.
Thats ok. Also remember its your show and you know where its
going and they dont.
To prove that point here is a true story told by a hypnotist friend
of mine. Eighteen audience volunteers were seated onstage behind
him. He was starting the hypnotic induction. One, close your eyes,
breath deeply, your eyelids are heavy now, you are going into a
deep sleep...Two, He was on the count of Four, the audience was
quiet, and a helping of baked beans he had consumed earlier
announced their presence as he suddenly broke wind. The first few
rows of the audience started to titter and giggle and he could sense
the volunteers were about to come out of their trance. He stepped to
the nearest onstage helper, put his hand on his shoulder and said
We cant have any of that up here, youll have to go back to your
seat.
Recommended reading: Successful Stand-Up Comedy by Gene
Perret published by Samuel French; Stand-Up Comedy, The Book
by Judy Carter published by Dell; What to Say When Youre Dying
On The Platform by Lily Walters published by McGraw-Hill.
324
Other titles to explore L.E.
Volume 4, Number 13
Ross Johnson
Issue # 67
World Tour

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
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World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
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Canada:
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Overseas (airmail):
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When I was a young child, begins

the Mentalist, I looked at the maps
of the world in my classroom and
dreamed of distant cities, of strange
and unusual tastes & flavors, and of
languages foreign to my ears.
He opens a soft cover, magazine
size atlas and continues, In those
dreams I walked the streets of
Madrid and Edinborough, then
boated through the canals of
Amsterdam and Venice. That
romance with far-flung cities has
continued to this day. Im
particularly drawn to Europe.
The atlas is held up to display a two-page spread of
Europe which shows each country shaded with different color and
the hundred or so major cities and towns. The book is handed to a
nearby participant as the mindreader says, An atlas shows more
than national boundaries. Turn to the next page and youll see
maps depicting climate, population, geographical features, and
economies. One page further features
maps detailing mineral deposits,
energy output & consumption,
Ross first revealed
natural hazards, and transportation this
clever routine in
the highway network of that
a January lecture at
continent. Lets imagine driving to
Hollywoods Magic
one of those many cities shown on
Castle.
that transportation chart. Picture
one of them in your mind. See the
famous landmarks that city is known
for; imagine the tastes and smells associated with that city; hear
in your minds ear the lilt of the language spoken there.
After allowing the participant a moment to concentrate, the
Mentalist goes on, Can you see the city in your mind? Place
yourself on that highway network, driving toward that city.
Visualize the road signs which announce the city limits. Can you
see the citys name spelled out on that sign?
The participant answers in the affirmative.
I get the sense of an angular letter made with several straight
strokes, hints the performer, Is there an M in the city name?
Absolutely, verifies the amazed helper.
Please turn to WORLD, page 326
325
WORLD, continued
You are concentrating perfectly, praises the Mentalist, so lets
go further. Do I see an O in your mind? Yes.
Were on a roll. Ill bet theres an S, too? Yes.
I get the feeling Im perceiving the letters out of order? Yes.
The performer declares, I see a city on the waters edge. A very
fair-skinned people. Are you driving into Sweden - Stockholm?
The astounded participant confirms the Mentalists perception.
Ross, a former high school teacher, discovered an amazing
potential in the Rand McNally Classroom Atlas (shown on page
325). It can be obtained, for about ten dollars, from the internet
bookstore, amazon.com - and from other bookstores, too.
The two-page spread (66 & 67) shown to the audience bears
the political map of Europe depicting dozens and dozens of
cities. The presentation, however, guides the participant to a
set of smaller maps on pages 70 & 71. The audience has no way
of knowing that each of those mini-maps shows the same nine
cities. Any of them can be used for this presentation.
You learn the city through a branching anagram, using the
spelling of the city names, keeping in mind that you want to
elicit as many affirmative responses as possible. You can
swiftly divide the list in half by sensing an M. Pause, as if in
thought, while you wait for your participant to verify (which will
reduce your list to Rome, Milan, Madrid, Moscow, and Stockholm as
in the example given above).
If no affirmation is given, come out of your pause saying, ...or
perhaps an N... Pause again, waiting for the Yes which will
indicate London or Berlin, after which you can say, Definitely six
letters in the city name - do I sense a repeated letter?
With no response to the N, continue after your second pause
with, ...or maybe a W. Im getting a very angular, complicated
letter structure. If your participant agrees, youve found Warsaw.
If not, you can say, Hold on, its not the letter structure Im seeing its a physical structure with an abundance of similar angularity.
Did you flash on Paris Eiffel Tower? The sequence should have a
flow to it with no pause so long that its obvious youre fishing.
For the M set, and as a variation from the example given above,
you can say, Spell the citys name in your mind. Its easy to sense
if your helper is mentally spelling the longest city, Stockholm.
Otherwise, you can ask, Your city wouldnt be fairly near the
Mediterranean Sea would it? If the answer is No then you can
continue, I thought not... and go on to reveal Moscow. If you get a
Yes, ask about an A in the word, always going for the probe
which has the greatest probability of getting a positive response
(Madrid and Milan vs Rome, in this case). A No leads to Rome.
In the other case, I definitely see the letters A and I; is one of the
other letters repeated? Yes equals Madrid, No leads to Milan.
326
For other continents

and maps elsewhere
in the atlas, use this
example as your
template to build
your anagram key.
Ron Bonneau
Enlightened Company
This clever
treatment is the
mechanical version
of the familiar
optical fan force.
Have you ever had the feeling, begins the Mentalist, giving a
pack of cards a thorough, legitimate shuffling, that something was
out of place but you just couldnt explain what or why? Until you
had some other confirmation, you simply werent willing to trust
your instincts. That may begin to change.
The deck is ribbon-spread, face down, and a participant is
requested to slide one card, the target of this experiment, out of the
spread. He lifts only the end of the card and peeks at its face to
learn its identity, disclosing that knowledge to no one.
The performer flips the ribbon of cards face up with a flourish
and directs a second participant, Let your eyes travel back and
forth over the various indices. Make no attempt to memorize or
count. Instead, just let the accumulated identities imprint
themselves onto your subconscious. Think of all these cards as
familiar friends. Into this grouping, we will reintroduce a
stranger.
Reversing the spread to its original face down orientation, the
performer requests that the first participant slide the stranger
card back into the spread. The cards are gathered and given a
legitimate shuffle or two, and again ribbon-spread face up before
the second helper.
Heres where you let your inner eye, your subconscious
knowing come to your assistance, instructs the Mentalist. Allow
your eyes to flow over the spread. You are feeling more than you
are looking for the stranger. The one which is not in your minds
memory of the first group will, somehow, stand out in your eyes,
seemingly more sharply in focus more vivid. Place your finger on
it now and keep your finger there as I pull away all the others.
Of course, he has fingered the selected stranger.
The playing cards are prepared, made into subtle one-way
cards on their faces by using a standard pencil eraser (one of those
square, pink ones) to fade the colors of the index and index pip on
one end only of each card. A fine touch is required here; if the
colors are reduced too much the treatment becomes obvious but if
too little ink is removed, the difference will not produce the results
you want.
After you gather the first, face up spread, rotate the deck so
when the selected card is reinserted into the pack, its untreated
end is aligned with the softened ends of the others. The darker
index will stand out from the faded others in a very subtle manner.
If you have properly set up your second participant, he will fool
himself by zeroing in on it right away.
327

Just after the New Year turned, I had the pleasure of seeing
Ross Johnsons lecture at the Magic Castle. I no longer maintain
membership privileges there, so Mark & Nani Wilson graciously
asked me to be their guests for the day. (I may infect Mark with
the Mentalism bug, yet!)
Ross was wrapping up a week of performances at that venerable
institution and all the buzz regarding his act was good. As well it
should have been; Ross is one of the premier performers in our
craft.
This issue is effectively a Magic Castle special. The first piece,
World Tour, was one of Ross lecture pieces, an idea he had offered
to SYZYGY a few days previously. While no performance
reinforcement was necessary to sell the idea for publication, it was
still quite fun to see the presentation in the hands of the guy who
developed the idea. Ross credits Phil Goldstein for inspiration.
The other presentation, Enlightened Company, was the result of
a conversation with my seatmate in the audience for that lecture.
As you may know, my policy bumps new contributors to the head of
the line, so Ron Bonneau, welcome to SYZYGYs celestial lineup!
I brought something else back from Hollywood as well - the most
severe case of influenza I have ever suffered. That nasty virus had
me in bed a total of four days and reduced my productivity to near
zero for another ten. Next year, flu shots for sure!
On a more pleasant note, the Wordless Book Tests many of you
ordered are beginning to ship. Thanks for your patience, everyone.
The SYZYGYs BEST! lecture is booked into some interesting
venues this Spring. It will be in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) for a
regional convention May 7 through 9 and at the A-1 convention in
Northern California May 21 through 23. A single date, April 17th,
has been reserved for Ring 96 in Long Beach, California. So it looks
like Ill be seeing a lot of the West Coast subscribers this year.
Belated thanks go to Lee Woodside of Oklahoma City, Mark
Roberts of Magicland in Dallas (Im still mentally tasting Fogo
delights), and Lonnie Frankel in Houston for being such superb
hosts for the lecture last fall. The Texas dates were unusual in that
they developed into seminar/workshops which provided a wonderful
learning experience, for myself as well as the attendees.
The Oklahoma group has a unique method for bringing in
lectures several financial angels underwrite the expense and
then sell tickets to recover their investment. If sales exceed costs,
those angels attend at no charge. Its a low-risk arrangement for
fledgling clubs with small treasuries and a wonderful idea.
Im open to booking a few lecture dates in the Midwest or on the
East Coast this year - not too many, because I want to reduce my
road schedule - so if you have some local interest, please let me
know and Ill do my best to make it happen.
328
Wise Words:
Behold the
turtle; he makes
no progress until
he sticks his
neck out.
Volume 4, Number 14
Russ Peak
Issue # 68
Tip of the Tongue

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
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World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
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Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
There is now being

recognized within the field of
research into the human
mind, begins the Mentalist,
a special category of people
who perceive things differently.
They hear textures. They feel
smells. They see sounds. Its a
matter of how their brains interpret
physical stimuli; sort of a crossover
phenomenon.
Tearing open a small bag of
M&Ms chocolate candies - the
ones which melt in your
mouth, not in your hand- the
performer approaches
someone near the front and requests, Hold out your hand, please.
The participant complies whereupon the mind reader says,
Your mother probably told you never to take candy from strangers
but I hope youll make an exception this time. He pours an
assortment of the brightly colored
candies into the outstretched palm
and offers more to those seated
nearby.
This routine is a
Please enjoy several of the
streamlined version
candies and observe that, despite
of one Russ credits
their varied colors, there is no
to an idea by
difference in their taste - sweet milk
Gregory Bishop.
chocolate, yes? The helper agrees.
As it turns out, claims the
Mentalist, it may be possible to
enhance or expand the existing senses just a bit, to get a small
taste of crossed senses. Literally.
To the first participant who ate the candies, the performer
directs, Please stand on the platform, directly behind me. Place
your hands, lightly, over my eyes. A gentle touch is all thats
required in order to assure that my eyes are closed. He does so.
After carefully emptying a few more candies into his own hand,
the Mentalists asks his helper to count the candies (Six.) and
verify they are of several colors remaining, which he affirms. Any
duplicate colors?
Yes, replies the participant.
Please turn to Tip of the Tongue, page 330
329
Tip of the Tongue, continued

Remove and consume any of the duplicates as a sweet reward
for your assistance, instructs the performer. The helper takes one
candy from those on the Mentalists hand and eats it.
The performer picks up one of the remaining candies, holds it
For all to see, says, Make a note of the color, please, and pops it
into his mouth. Hmm. I taste - brown. Was it? The helper verities.
The Mentalist says, Ill try another, and consumes a second
candy. This one has the flavor of yellow. How am I doing?
Perfect, assures the participant.
Once more, grins the performer, popping the last three M&Ms
into his mouth, but this time, the death-defying triple taste.
Savoring the tasty candies, the performer proclaims, These
three are blue, orange, and red! Take the rest of the candies with
you and start practicing! The helper is escorted to his seat.
The method for this routine will truly delight your sneaky little
heart - because the candies you eat really are discernible by mouth.
Buy a package of the new Crispy M&Ms and find among them a
blue one which is very close to the original candies in size and form
(the Crispy ones vary a bit in shape). From a bag of Reeses Pieces
peanut butter flavor candies, youll select a brown candy. The shape
is a duplicate of the M&Ms, with only the M missing from the
hard candy shell. No one will ever notice. The yellow candy is a
Skittles fruit flavored candy, also the same oval size and shape. The
two orange and one red candies are regular M&Ms. The extra
orange candy is the convincer eaten by the eye-covering helper.
The target candies are hidden in a thumb tip which is inserted
into the half-full candy bag as you escort your helper onto the
platform. The thumbtip is deployed at this time so you can be
assured that it doesnt flash from within the bag.
As you pour the secret selection of candies into your hand, hold
the bag securely to muffle any clacking sound the candies might
make as they tumble against the plastic thumbtip. Its perfectly
natural to be careful as you pour those candies into your other
palm. After all, you really cant see. You may want to practice doing
this several times so you feel comfortable with the process.
If, in your initial two tastings, you get either the red or orange
(chocolate) colors, just say, Im not sure of this one - either red or
orange. Which is it? When your helper verities, youll know what
color to assign to the second chocolate taste. If neither finds its way
into your mouth in the first two tastes, so much the better.
When you have your participant step from behind you to accept
your thanks for his help, push your left thumb into the thumbtip
within the bag. Offer the opened bag of candies for him to take back
to his seat. The thumbtip wont be noticed on your thumb; your
helper is too busy watching his step as he returns to his seat. Why
the left thumb? So you can freely shake his hand with your right as
youre escorting your participant from the stage.
330
Keep your
presentation offbeat
and low key to make
this routine a real
winner.
Darrell Osborn
The Sidekick Network

Youve all heard, begins the Mentalist, of the
Psychic Network. I found an interesting Internet site
called the Sidekick Network, devoted to that special
relationship between heroes and their trusty
assistants. The trivia buffs among us may be
interested to know that sidekicks were originally
invented to aid in plot development. In old time radio, with no
visual cues, it was necessary to work all the descriptive details into
either sound effects or dialog. It was much simpler to establish a
scene when there was a colorful sidekick along who could say,
Kemo Sabe, many warriors on horseback, coming over yonder hill.
Absent a human partner, the hero would talk to his horse or his
dog to supply the local color and scenic details. To this day, the
formula works. When David Letterman needs to walk to his desk
after the stand up monologue, he throws focus to Paul Schaffer.
After placing a large envelope on the table, the performer turns
to a nearby participant and asks, Just as there is an. affinity
between the main character and the sidekick, there can be similar
connections between other people as well. Who would be your
favorite second banana?
Robin, with Batman, is the reply.
The mindreader smiles and pulls a pack of index cards bearing
the written names of famous duos. You might have named Spock
and Kirk, Gore and Clinton, or any of these others, says the
Mentalist, showing the faces of the cards. Then he withdraws a
Batman & Robin comic book from the envelope, saying, But you,
too, picked the Dynamic Duo. Holy tagalong! What are the odds?
Because of the popularity of the Batman film series, Robin is
the most familiar sidekick and will often be the first one named.
Should that not be the case, go to several other persons with the
same question until you have an assortment of replies. Thats
when you produce your out.
Its a prepared force deck of index file cards, half of them with
various famous sidekicks and the other half with Robin and
Batman written on them. Trim the long edges of the cards bearing
assorted names to make those cards are narrower and interlace
them with the full width force cards.
Show the cards by holding the deck by the sides, writing side
up, and then release cards from the bottom of the packet to dribble
into the palm of your other hand, saying, Ive listed all I can think
of on these cards. They will fall in pairs with only the narrow nonforce names showing. Turn the packet writing side down and have
someone cut the deck and look at the face card on the half packet
above the cut, a force card. Proceed as above.
331

These past few weeks have not been kind. The gentle genius of
Ned Rutledge was taken from us not long ago. It is testimony to
his creativity that many of his contributions to the art of Mentalism
have become de facto public domain. His routines, he called them
his 'Unusuals', will continue to provide years of inspiration for those
who are fortunate to acquire them.
Late news has come that an automobile accident has taken the
life of Ross Johnson's son, Nils. It's not supposed to be this way.
My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of both.
It's happened again - a contributor's name has become detached
from his paperwork (if you send something in for publication, please
put your name on euery sheet). The item's title is Future Diet and it
makes a great companion piece to this issue's Tip of the Tongue. So
will the contributor who sent in this delightful balle d-up -papers
routine, please get in touch so I can properly credit you? Thanks.
Charles Pemberton of England was an attendee at a
convention I worked in South London last year and made mention
of a gaffed book (for a word test) he would soon have on the market.
I have a copy and find it very intriguing. The best thing about it is
that the key is devised from the standard mnemonic consonant
table most of us already know (1=T, 2=N, 3=M, etc.) so minimum
effort is required to recall the force words. It's nicely made and even
readable (don't expect Steinbeck or Hemmingway, however). It does
use a count-the-lines method to reach the force word on each page
but if your comfortable with that, it's an excellent value at fifty
pounds Sterling (plus postage, I assume). It's called the MBM Book
Test, from Dynamic FX Limited, P.O.Box 27202, London, Nll IWP,
England.
My Manifestations - the Ultimate Sance book & audiotape
package on producing a commercial s6ance is almost ready to ship.
The Linking Ring ad broke a month earlier that I had anticipated
so I've been pouring all my resources into that project trying to
hurry it along. Fulfillment begins on or about May 10. The six audio
tapes are unchanged from the original 1991 release but the book,
now 64 pages - up from 48, is totally reworked with lots of new
photos, an updated layout, and much more descriptive text. The
book is pretty much a stand alone product with the s6ance
production and promotion details on the audiotapes. It runs $79.95
plus 10% for post & pack.
With that project out of the way, expect your SYZYGY issues to
resume arriving on a more timely basis. Thanks for your patience.
Look for me to present at three conventions soon: There's Magic
Fest'99 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada May 7-9, the A-1 Convention
in Sacramento, CA May 21-23, and the P.E.A.'s Meeting Of The
Minds taking place June 10-13 in Atlanta, GA. Piggybacked with
the Atlanta date will be a lecture for the local magic club, arranged
by the lovely Melania Magus.
332
Wise Words:
I never knew
how short a time
four weeks was
until it became a
regular deadline
to meet.
Lee Earle
Volume 4, Number 15
Banachek
Issue # 69
Channel Change

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
602 / 247-7323 voice
602 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
It has been shown, begins the

Mentalist as he holds court at a
cocktail party, that 87% of all adults
have a favorite two-digit number.
Perhaps it was the number on a high
school or college sports uniform, the last
two digits of the year in which you were
born or married, or simply the age of
your child.
Turning to the evenings host, the
mindreader hands a writing pad or
marker board to the evenings host and asks,
No doubt theres such a number in your mind right now. Please
duplicate your personal two-digit number on this surface, but dont
allow anyone else to see what youre writing. The host complies.
Directing the groups attention to the television set at one end
of the room, the performer says, Imagine that your mind is a
transmitter and that this TV set is the receiver. Concentrate and
project. See the number in bold digits, right here on this screen.
After a few moments, the television screen, which bad been
displaying a sound-muted program, turns to snow - an indication
that the prograrns signal has been
lost. The set is now tuned to an
empty channel, as indicated by the
Work this as a solo
TV sets display in the upper corner
presentation or
of the screen; channel 37.
enhance it through
Thats odd, remarks the
the use of a
Mentalist, I was expecting a
confederate.
different outcome. He asks the host,
What number did you project?
Thirty seven, is the reply.
The secret is one of those credit card size universal TV remote
controls. When you learn the brand of television in the room where
you will be performing, set the remote unit and test it before your
program using the mute function.
Obtain the number in a pre-show interview with your host,
using a center tear, peek wallet, or impression device (Steve uses
the Acidus move). Tell your participant that later, during your
program, you will ask him to duplicate that number on a larger
marker board. This serves as a double-speak cue - your audience
will assume you intend for him to duplicate the number from his
old sports uniform or some such while your participant will know
that you mean for him to duplicate his pre-show visualization.
333
Gene Urban
Petronym
When I was a child, begins the
Mentalist, our family would cluster in
front of the television set to watch
The Adventures of Lassie, our
favorite Sunday night show. Ever
since then, Ive felt an uncanny
connection to pets of all types.
He sketches a television screen on
a square of paper and hands it to a
participant, asking, Imagine your
childhood pet starring in a television
series. Write your pets name on the
screen, then fold the paper twice with the name
on the inside. The helper complies.
The performer then describes the animal, some of its likes &
dislikes, and then reveals the pets name.
Clearly, a center tear or some covert device (Gene uses the
Cornelius hidden light prop) delivers the animals name to you but
Genes genius is in the presentation.
In all the years he has performed this routine, a cat or dog has
been the animal named in all but three instances. Gene has also
discovered something interesting about how owners name their
pets. Dogs will have human or partner names (Bear, Cody, Duke,
Buddy, Lady, Sampson, Pierre, etc.) while cats are usually given
more descriptive names (Dusty, Puff, Whiskers, Boots, Tiger,
Bananas, etc.). Talk to a local veterinarian and youll get a good
idea of this concept.
Likewise, the names often give an indication of size, color, and
sex. By adding some common sense pet trivia (smaller dogs tend to
be more nervous and yappy, cats show independence and are picky
eaters, etc.) you can do a cold reading based on the pet name and be
far more accurate than you might imagine.
You can also find lists of pet names on the Internet; start at
http://www.pet-net.net/namethatpet.htm. Once you learn the pets
name, you can fish a little for verification, tossing in little
comments about the animals affection, loyalty, and personality. If
you go with your intuition in this area, you will surprise yourself
with your accuracy. And if you strike out, just continue with your
plan to reveal the pets name.
Ask your helper to visualize the pet and then call its name,
silently, in her mind. Thats when you say the pets name aloud; the
look of shock on your participants face will be enough to let
everyone know you are successful.
334
This is one of those

influence items
which, while not
100%, is accurate
enough for our use.
Lance Campbell
Future Diet
The virtual method

used in this
presentation is as
much fun as the
routine itself.
The Mentalist begins, Anyone who doubts the power of

suggestion has never watched another person bite into a lemon.
That alone will turn most of us into Pavlovs dogs, salivating at the
very thought.
Approaching a participant on the aisle, the performer offers a
pen and a handful of identically sized slips of paper saying, Take
a piece of paper and write the word LEMON on it in big, bold
capital letters. Then wad the paper up into a small ball.
When the participant has finished, the mind reader hands him
several more papers and instructs, On the rest, please inscribe
ORANGE in a similar fashion, also crushing them into small
balls. Once youve done that, bring them with you as you
accompany me on the platform.
You11 stand behind me, instructs the Mentalist, and will
select any one of the papers - your choice. Open it to learn its
contents, orange or lemon, and then ball it up again. Then, you will
hold it over this glass (the performer picks one up from a nearby
table) and squeeze it as if you were going to produce the juice to
drink. Well see if your thoughts are strong enough to induce a
reaction.
The performer sits in a chair center stage, closes his eyes, and
holds the empty glass above his shoulder for the helper to squeeze
out the imaginary juice from the first balled paper. Imagine that
you are drinking the juice from that imaginary fruit, he says.
Taking a drink from the empty glass, the mind reader says
Sweet and flavorful. This ones orange. Next, please. The process
is repeated until, at one sip of the imaginary liquid, the Mentalist
screws up his face into a sour grimace and says, This one needs
sugar - it must be the lemon. The helper verities.
Four of the eight sheets of paper used are Hammermill color
copy cover, photo white, #1225-4. This paper has a slight coating,
virtually unnoticable, which makes a slight squeak sound when
crumpled. There are certainly other, similar papers available. The
other four normal papers are of a matching size and color.
As the participant takes his choice of paper to bear the word
LEMON, just note whether the paper is removed from the
squeaky four or the normal four. Hand your helper the four
opposite papers for the inscription of ORANGE. Thus, it will
always be the odd sound among the others which is your clue.
When you hold the glass over your shoulder, it is positioned
very near your ear so you can hear the sound of the paper ball
being crushed.
335

Just returned from the Convention at the Capital, the A-1
Magicalmedia convention in Sacramento, CA ramrodded by Mike
Maxwe]l. It was a pleasure being on the bill with such luminaries
as Gaeton Bloom, Aldo Columbini, Mike Close, Danny
Archer, Tom Mullica, fellow Six-and-One-Half member Mark
Strivings, and so many more. As with Jeff McBride, Mac King,
and Ice Macdonald (with whom I worked a couple of weeks back
in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), they are all top notch professionals
and fabulous people.
One impressive little item you should know about is the Super
Writer, a swami gimmick thumbtip which is nicely engineered and
quite easy to use. It sells for $20 and if your local dealer doesnt
have it, contact zaltsman@isdn.netnl (Roei Zaltsman) for info.
Im seldom baffled by most of the stuff demonstrated across a
magic counter or performed on stage and I usually dont hype magic
tricks, but Roger Klauses Ultimate Slow Motion Bill Transposition
is the exception; he fried me with it! Roger is the epitome of a
gregarious Texan whose handling is so good that youll hate
yourself if you dont get one (its a teaching video). Its $29.00 plus
p & h, from Roger Klause, P.O. Box 1256, Borger, TX 79008-1256,
or call (806) 274-4122 to order directly.
As an experiment over the past few months, readers in Italy and
Germany have occasionally received translations in their languages
of certain SYZYGY issues, courtesy of Aroldo Lattarulo (Italy)
and Christian Theiss (Germany). The irregularity of those
translations is due entirely to the hectic manner in which I publish
this newsletter and does not reflect on the efforts of these two
subscribers, who have supplied the translations on a voluntary
basis. I owe each of them a huge debt of gratitude for their efforts.
Sadly, the current method for distribution of those translations isnt
meeting expectations and will be discontinued. Im still open to
other suggestions however (perhaps a passworded website page?)
and welcome feedback from subscribers in those countries.
Im looking forward to seeing many old friends when I attend
the P.E.A.s Meeting Of The Minds in Atlanta this June 10th-13th.
In addition to the presentation Im making for that convention, Ill
also be lecturing to the local magic groups on Monday, June 14th.
Melania Magus put the whole event together and arranged for
attendance to be free for Ring & Assembly members (and just $20
for non-members). You can contact her for further information at:
(770) 516-3524.
My only other foray into the South will be a mid-September date
in Richmond, VA - the jumping-off spot for two months in Europe,
during which the lecture comes to Spain, France, Italy, Germany,
Switzerland, Belgium, and elsewhere. Ill post the full schedule here
when it is finalized.
336
Wise Words:
The attitude
within is more
important than
the circumstances
without.
Anonymous
Volume 4, Number 16
Jason Christopher
Issue # 70
Corner Pocket

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Approaching a pool table

following the end of a game in
progress (whether in a billiards
hall, lounge, or private home),
the Mentalist places his hat
and a $50 bill on the table,
saying, I suspect one of the
main appeals of the game of
8-Ball is its simplicity. Who
wants a chance at my fifty
dollars, with no risk involved?
When one player indicates interest, the mind reader continues,
Rack em. I have made a prediction of sorts and its under my
hat for now. If, at the end of our game, my intuition is incorrect
you win the fifty bucks. On the other hand, if my forethought is on
the mark, I keep the dough & get a round of applause. Fair?
The player agrees.
Continuing, the Mentalist explains, Rather than trust to the
stroke of the stick and the flatness of the felt, well play an
imaginary game of 8-Ball. Are you using stripes or solids?
The opponent says, Stripes.
Lets begin, continues the
performer. Since youve selected
stripes, lets take all the others,
Jason credits Scott
including the cue ball, off the table;
Shoemaker for some
from this point forward, well work
of the brainstorming
only with your stripes.
behind this clever
The solid balls are removed and
adaptation.
the mind reader goes on, Every shot
from now on must be a combination
shot - you know, a play in which one
ball strikes another which goes into the pocket. Well each take
turns selecting the two balls for every combination shot but to
make it fair, the other player will select which ball goes in. For
example, Ill call a combination with the Nine ball and the
Fourteen ball. Which one goes in the pocket?
The Fourteen ball, replies the participant. The performer
slides the striped ball with the number 14 on it into one of the
pockets on the table.
Now its your turn, instructs the Mentalist, to pick the two
balls for your combination.
Please turn to CORNER POCKET, page 338
337
CORNER POCKET, continued

The helper selects the Twelve ball and the Thirteen ball. Fine.
Sink the Thirteen, says the performer. The opponent places the
Thirteen ball in the closest pocket.
My next combination shot, asserts the Mentalist, uses the
Fifteen and the Eleven. Which one will go off the table?
Take the Eleven, directs the opponent. As the Mentalist
places the Eleven ball in a corner pocket, the helper continues, For
my next shot, Ill use the Ten and the Nine.
Youve got the idea, proclaims the mind reader, Sink the
Nine. He waits until the participant places the Nine ball in one of
the tables pockets and then continues, My next pair is the Ten
and the Fifteen. Which one goes?
The other player says, Take away the Fifteen. I guess my last
combination is the Ten and the Twelve.
That makes it easy, boasts the Mentalist, Toss the Ten ball.
It seems that only the Twelve ball remains on the table. At every
step of the way, through your choice of combinations and of which
balls to pocket, youve been in control of the game. Perhaps your
choices were due to chance or perhaps they were otherwise
influenced because the final ball the Twelve remaining on the
table is a perfect match to my precognition.
He lifts his hat to reveal a second Twelve ball which was hidden
beneath it! Needless to say, he also pockets his fifty dollar bill.
The method, of course is the Pick Any Two, Eliminate One (or
P.A.T.E.O.) force. Just take any striped ball from another table (or
use a miniature ball from a toy billiards set) and slip it into your
hat as you remove your chapeau from your head and place it on the
table. This Guys & Dolls touch really sells the routine.
When you select your combinations, just avoid the duplicate to
your prediction ball. If you never include it in one of your
combinations, your participant can never eliminate it.
Naturally, if your opponent selects combinations which include
your prediction ball, eliminate the other one.
At the start of the game, when you ask your opponent to select
stripes (balls numbered nine and higher) or solids (balls
numbered one through eight), he has no idea where youre going
with all of this. If he selects solids, just say, Youll start by
running all your balls from the table; put all the solids in the
pockets.
Everything else is automatic.
If you wish to use a solid ball as your prediction, the procedure
is the same except you must start by saying something like, The
Eight ball is too obvious as a target for this game, so lets take it off
the table before we start. Then your equivoque choice will steer
the procedure to eliminate the stripe balls and you continue as
above.
338
Dave Arch
The Einstein Enigma
This is a designed
sequel to Korans
Jackpot Coins
The Trick That
Fooled Einstein.
(Editors note: Jack Deans issue #52 routine, The Fool That
Tricked Einstein a play on words and a takeoff of an Al Koran
effect, The Trick That Fooled Einstein gets a further update in
this contribution, which can be used as a prequel to both.
Inexpensive, digital scales calibrated to .1 oz. to use with Jacks
routine are now available in office supply stores for about $30.)
Holding a canvas drawstring bag used by merchants for bank
deposits, the Mentalist proclaims, Some people, when given an
opportunity, are timid; others are somewhat more inclined to take
advantage. Lets see which of those factors applies with one of you
today. He asks one female audience member to stand.
Within this bag, informs the performer, are more than a
hundred silver dollars. Reach inside and grasp as many in your
fist as you can and then withdraw your hand.. The participant
complies.
The Mentalist continues, Turn aside so no one can follow what
youre doing and silently count the number of coins you have.
While youre doing that, Ill take a handful myself. He reaches
into the bag, pulls out a fist full of dollars, and sets the bag aside.
Ill do the same as you have and Ill count my coins, too, says
the mind reader. Since my hand is larger, I expect to have more
coins than you do. In fact, greed is not one of your attributes
because I sense I have exactly eight more coins than you do. How
many do you hold?
Seventeen, is the reply.
And I have, boasts the performer, twenty-five. He counts
his coins and he, indeed, has twenty-five, precisely eight more than
his helper!
A double compartment bag is used. In one side you have
stashed a known number of coins, in this case forty-two. In the
other side are quite a few additional coins, the number of which is
unimportant.
When your helper reaches into the bag, you offer entrance into
only the side with the known quantity. As she is counting her
coins, you reach inside the same compartment and take the
remainder. Set the bag aside with a jingle so everyone is aware
that there are many more coins inside. Subtract your count from
the known quantity to make your statement.
If she takes almost all of the coins from the known amount,
finger count the remaining ones in that compartment to deduce her
total, then take some additional coins from the other side of the
bag to make your total larger than hers. A little quick addition in
your head will provide the difference for your statement.
339

Mentalist, creator, historian, author, erstwhile newsletter
editor, and friend Jack Dean passed away last May 23rd, after a
lingering illness. Known as The Dean of Mentalism, his
soft wit, warm grace, and easy charm will forever represent,
in my memory, the personification of Southern gentility. His
wife, Judy, was at his side when he left us. Goodbye, Jack.
Subscriber Klaus-Hermann Fossgreen has recently
relocated to Norway and requests any other SYZYGY
subscribers in that country to get in touch by mail. His new
address is seben 7-302, 6017 lesund, Norway.
At two recent conventions I was asked about the
phenomenon of David Blaine. Many were surprised by my
answer. I have long said that Mentalism is the only real
magic remaining in this world, and Blaine taps into that
mindset. He may be the pivot around which the world of
magic will turn.
If you want to read a scathing view of magicians in
general (vis a vis Blaine in particular), point your browser to:
www.salon.com/people/col/cintra/1999/05/05/blaine and
prepare yourself to be shocked with words and opinions
which are hard to read. Heres a sample: There has always
been something grimy about magic. Even at its very best, its a
long con...Magicians are historically a sorry-assed lot, who keep
company with flame-retardant midgets and frog-swallowers.
But read farther, Blaine...a hot little bucket of spooky...is
magic personified. This is not a hoax. He is reading your mind, he
is invading your soul. To keep his magical secrets, famous and
beautiful women would tear out their own tongues and pledge
lifelong slavery to David Blaine, Sorcerer-Sheik...Blaine is a cockrock Copperfield for the Generation Y crowd.
Hes going to have an impact on Mentalism, too. Whether it will
be to further identify it with magic and magicians (to our loss) or to
poke and goad and expand the limits (to our gain) cannot, as yet, be
determined. Stand by.
A couple of new products:
Mark Strivings has released yet another book of routines,
Pseudo-Psi, a 42-page, 8.5 x 11 inch, comb-bound publication. It
features nine complete presentations, a couple of them being
updates of previous releases. I particularly like his clever take on
the window envelope in ESP in My Pocket. Order from Mark by
phone at (520) 774-0804.
Mentalism 101, from Dennis Loomis, packages a Koran 5-Star
Deck (Bicycle, poker size) with a vinyl Z-fold wallet and a pair of
double-face cards to make a clever routine at a good price ($18.00).
While card stuff, even as non-magicky as this, isnt really my focus,
I can still recognize a good value when I see it. Get it from Dennis
at P.O. Box 322, El Dorado, CA 95623, or phone (530) 642-0197.
340
Jack Dean
1926-1999
Volume 4, Number 17
Pascal de Clermont
Issue # 71
Impression

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
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Tarot cards, explains the Mentalist as

he casually mixes the Major Arcana, have
been used for centuries as springboards for
the imagination. The intricate artwork
lends itself to the same sort of
interpretation as the famous Rorschach
Ink Blots. Some claim those images lend
themselves to clairvoyance or telepathy.
After gazing into the eyes of the four
persons seated at the table, he hands the
packet to one of them and requests that it
be given several complete cuts, then
tabled. Take the top card for yourself, he
directs, and the remaining three of you
will, in turn, remove the top card of the packet. Focus on the Tarot
image you hold - see every detail in your minds eye - and then
place the card face down on the table in front of you.
The performer makes four quick sketches on blank index cards,
and places each drawing face down in front of one of the
participants. Each person is asked to
describe, without using the name on
the card, what she sees on her Tarot
Pascal is a French
card. The drawings perfectly match
performer who aims
their descriptions!
his strong
Divide the Major Arcana (those
presentations at the
Tarot cards with detailed images)
ladies.
into four packets whose cards share
common imagery:
(Head) Chariot, Hierophant,
Emperor, Empress, High Priestess; (Sky) Star, Justice, Moon,
Sun, Lovers; (Wings) Devil, Temperance, Wheel of Fortune,
Judgement, The World; (Question) Tower, Hanged Man, Death,
Hermit, Fool. Two cards, Strength and Magician, are not used and
remain with the remainder of the deck.
Build a rotating stack, beginning with a card from group #1,
one from set #2, another from packet #3, and then a card from
group #4. Repeat until your packet of 20 cards is assembled.
Every fourth card will represent the same group. A series of
straight cuts will not disturb the cyclic stack.
When the cards are taken, it is only necessary to note the
sequence in which the participants took their cards. Each person
will have a card from a different group.
Please turn to IMPRESSION, page 342
341
IMPRESSION, continued
Following a moment of concentration, draw
the dark lines from the illustration on the first
page, vaguely declaring that you sense a figure
of authority or wisdom; you see a crown or
perhaps a scepter. Show the partial sketch to
all four participants and ask that the person
who is working with such an image to
concentrate more intensely in order to send
more details of the drawing to you. A little
subtle observation tells you which person has
the card from the Head group (shes the one
whose eyes are shut tight in concentration).
Refine your drawing by adding the
remaining strokes, shown in grey, and place it
face down on the table in front of you. You will note that the
drawing can be applied to any card of the Head group.
Ask another person (the one you noted taking the third card) to
concentrate on her Tarot image. Im certain this detail is in your
image, you say. On another index card, make the second sketch; it
can be stretched to apply to any of the Wings group. Slide the
face down drawing directly beneath the first sketch, on the table.
Ask participant #2 to concentrate on her Tarot card and make
the third sketch which is ambiguous enough to apply to any card of
the Sky group. Again, slip the drawing beneath the first two.
For participant #4 there is no single drawing to cover all the
possibilities, therefore you will have to do a little pumping to
discover the identity of the card. There are only five possibilities:
Tower, Hanged Man, Death, Hermit, or Fool.
Begin by saying, I see a wooden pole... and pause slightly, as if
in thought. If you detect no reaction, continue, ...or perhaps a
tree...; a positive reaction to tree indicates the Hanged Man. No
reaction at all is a good indicator of The Tower, whereupon you
triumphantly claim, Well, it has the same upright shape as a tall
tree or pole... and finish your drawing.
Should you get an affirmative response to, I see a wooden
pole... then you offer, There wouldnt be something attached to
that staff, would there? If they say No then youll draw The
Hermit after saying, I didnt think so! If the answer is Yes then
you can say, And its cloth, with a pattern on it. I sense an animal
is part of the image as well. The sun is still shining.
Your final gambit is, Theres a little number at the top center of
the image - close your eyes and count to that number in your mind.
A very short delay means The Fool (the number zero), otherwise its
the Death card (the number thirteen). The finished sketch is
slipped beneath the others.
Ask each person to look at her Tarot card and to describe the
image there. Its much better than simply comparing drawings.
342
Head
Wings
Sky
Question
Chris Hurlburt
Ognib
A little patience is
needed to prepare
but youll love the
results you get with
this reworked
classic.
BINGO is one of the worlds most popular diversions, remarks

the Mentalist as he distributes four Bingo game cards among
participants in the front row. Dedicated players will often
monitor as many as a dozen cards. Each of you gets just one.
Removing a childrens deck of Bingo playing cards from its case,
the performer continues, Professional Bingo parlors use expensive
devices with numbered balls to guarantee a random selection of
the numbers. Tonight, well make do with a shuffle or two.
The mindreader asks each of the participants to take some of
the cards to mix them well. As the cards are being shuffled, he
says, Perhaps one reason mind over matter is ineffective in
casinos and bingo halls is that each player is concentrating upon,
and wishing for, a different outcome. What might happen if we all
focused our thoughts to produce one winner? Lets find out.
He holds his hand over the head of each of the four participants
and asks the audience to indicate by applause which of them will
be the object of their focus. The performer gathers the shuffled
cards and hands each player a pen for marking the game cards.
Well deal the cards sequentially, calling each number, offers
the Mentalist. The first person to get five numbers (or four
numbers and the free cell) in a straight line will shout BINGO!
and is the winner. Lets see if our collective influence works.
One at a time, numbered cards are dealt from the top of the
deck, shown, and the number recorded by the participants on their
game cards. After several numbers have been called, the selected
participant jumps to his feet and says, BINGO!
There are 75 numbered cards in a Bingo deck, so it makes
sense to divide the large pack among the participants for the
shuffle. The packet each participant mixes has numbers which
allow only his game card to win. The winning players packet goes
atop the reassembled deck, which gets a false shuffle or cut.
For the starting stack, select any four game cards from a Bingo
set. Note the number in the upper left corner of the first game
card. Pull that numbered card from the deck, pencil dot each
index, and place it face down next to the game card. Place on top
of it the three additional face down number cards which complete
the winning diagonal combination. Repeat for each game card.
Deal 14 or 15 more cards onto each pile, ensuring that none of
the numbers in the shaded cells (see illustration) from the other
game cards are in that pile. Assemble the packets to form the
complete deck. The face card of the deck will match the upper left
cell on one persons game card. Push off cards from the face up
deck until you reach the next pencil dotted key card and give him
the pushed off packet to mix. Repeat with the other three players.
343

My apologies for inconveniences stemming from a recent hard
drive crash and data scramble. Some renewals were lost, so if your
address label Subscribed through doesnt reflect a paid renewal,
please get in touch. Im missing a few new subscribers records, too.
For those, Ill have to wait for their Wheres my SYZYGY? letters.
Visited with lots of old friends at the Psychic Entertainers

Associations Meeting Of The Minds in June. This photo was taken
from the stage, during the Friday night show.
For those of you who prefer a nearly invisible nail writer, youll
be pleased to know that old friend Bob Fenton is now marketing
the tiniest thumbnail writer Ive ever seen. Its machined from a
single block of metal, not bent and formed from sheet metal, and I
dont see how he can make a profit at twenty bucks. Order
from Bob at (702) 367-9500.
Another old friend, Allen Zingg, obtained the rights to
the Kenton Knepper / Gene Urban original and is now
offering for your consideration, Son of MindScan. Its a
dastardly clever memo pad which puts a copy of whatever
was written previously right under your eyes in a very
natural handling. The manuscript which accompanied the
samples I received is 38 pages long! The outfit sells for
$59.95 but SYZYGY subscribers get a deal at $55 postpaid.
E-mail Alan at: azingg@ix.netcom.com or phone him at
(609) 585-0352. He also sent a review copy of Inspiration:
Acts of Creativity, a 108-page, comb bound collection of
performance material, motivational insights, and personal
wisdom which would be of benefit to almost anyone in our
field. Finally, Alan tickled my curiousity with a description
of something called Just Plain Logo, a drawing duplication
with business cards. I cant wait to see the finished product.
Guru Eugene Burger is seen paging through the book which
comes with Manifestations - The Ultimate Sance, my new sixaudiotape package. It was Genes example and inspiration which
led me to create my own Spirit Theatre production, the coin with
which I paid my dues into the peerage, and I shall forever be
indebted to him.
344
Lee Earle
Quarterly Supplement # 16
Essentials for Excellence

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
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World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
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per year
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With so many new subscribers to SYZYGY, it seems

appropriate to dedicate a Quarterly Supplement to a discussion of
contemporary Mentalism, what the term implies and how you can
benefit from it.
Mentalism is much more
than a tangental branch of
conjuring, although the
majority of Mentalists arrive
via that path. They bring
with them a certain mindset
and behavioral patterns
which, while they may be
appropriate for people
watching a magic show, are
unsuitable for our audiences.
Much of that mindset is
dictated by the fact that
everyone knows the
magician is doing tricks; the
audiences tries their best to
detect the modus operandi
while the magician succeeds
only by frustrating those
attempts. No one, however, imagines
Lee Earle recently
that the magician is doing anything
presented this
other than employing theatrical
material, as a
artifice to mimic reality, with the goal
lecture, to the
of fooling the audience.
P.E.A.s
Meeting of
We Mentalists work under a
the Minds.
different premise. We are playing to
the universal fantasy that such
things as mind-to-mind
communication, influence, and premonition can occur. Therein lies
the appeal. There is simply no market for someone who is
admittedly pretending to read minds.
Our audiences, raised with the remote control in their hands
and with little or no patience for mediocrity, are constantly
evaluating our performance with an almost cynical attitude of,
Whats in it for me? The bottom line is that while we can succeed
presenting entertainment for entertainments sake, we will appeal
to a broader base if we offer more; a reinforcement of their most
deeply cherished fantasies.
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Continued, page 345
345
We must find ways to involve our audiences, encouraging them

to make an emotional investment in a successful outcome of the
performance. In other words, we are acknowledging their belief
that such things are possible.
Contemporary Mentalism credits the participants equally with
the performer. For, unlike most forms of entertainment, Mentalism
is practiced with an audience, not just for them. We hang our
presentations on hooks such as body language, graphology,
coincidence, dowsing, nonverbal communication, deja vu, and the
like - things most everyone knows and accepts.
We are following the Dale Carnegie How To Win Friends and
Influence People model of achieving success by giving people what
they want. A good Mentalist will craft his performance in a manner
which reinforces (and perhaps illustrates) those intriguing
characteristics of the human experience.
The wise Mentalist makes no assertion of unusual abilities or
powers because the more one claims, the more one may be required
to defend, and thats a losing proposition. Conversely, we should
avoid broad disclaimers - were working to their fantasies, after all unless one is a part-time entertainer whose day job professional
status might be adversely affected.
Another area for focus is our Performance Skills. Mentalism
isnt terribly telegenic - theres not much to see, so anything we can
do to increase the visual component is a plus. There is one
prominent, high-dollar working pro who has a television
cameraman follow him around, with the picture displayed on a
giant screen for all to see. That way, when he does something like a
spoon bend, everyone can get an impactive close-up.
All of us can do a better job of forming visuals in our audiences
minds eyes. Using word pictures, stories, invoking memories, etc.,
can work wonders in keeping your audiences involved. But dont
forget auditory cues as well. Im surprised that more Mentalists
dont use music behind their presentations. Try doing a
presentation such as Inglese & Laubs The Dream with the music
from Somewhere in Time playing softly in the background and
youll see what I mean.
One of the most important tools we Mentalists employ is the
voice. An investment in a couple of college classes in Voice &
Diction, Oral Interpretation, or Speech fundamentals will pay big
returns. Use a good microphone (I prefer a wireless hand held unit
for its versatility, vocal range, and control) so everything from a
shout to a whisper can be easily heard. I know its easy for some of
us to crank up the volume and project, and in the appropriate
situation, I can be heard in the back row of some very large halls but why? Especially when audio amplification is so easy. You only
have one voice - treat it kindly.
It is a good idea to plan on mastering the hidden essentials of
our craft. Things like the One Ahead, Center Tear, Swami
346
Gimmick, Equivoque (Verbal Control), Impression Devices, Muscle

Reading, and Double Speak (to a participant with whom weve
done some pre-show work, Weve never met before tonight, is that
correct? The audience assumes an entirely different meaning
than does the participant.). When you gain a decent familiarity
with these techniques youll never be at a loss in this business.
Becoming familiar with genuine and related skills will work to
your advantage, too. Every Mentalist should master mnemonics,
for example. Mnemonics comes in handy not only as a show off
skill but also in Question & Answer routines, psychometry, or cold
reading. Learn from some texts on body language, graphology,
and neuro linguistic programming. The self-help or psychology
sections of chain bookstores have dozens of titles which will prove
helpful. From dealers in our trade, Kenton Kneppers Wonder
Words series is a great place to begin to learn the power of the
spoken word. Acquire the skill of cold reading, which will serve
you in countless ways outside of entertainment; youll find ways to
employ it in your business life, your personal life, and your social
life, with incredible results.
Personality is important, too. So many performers I see dont
appear to be having fun; they are so brooding and serious (and
often full of themselves). Well, that may work wonders for the ego
but it leaves audiences flat. Lighten up. Enjoy the experience.
Cherish the interactions with the audience. Play with them.
So often we hear the advice, Be yourself. The problem is that
we seldom have a good idea who we are or we have such fragile
egos that we fear revealing too much about ourselves. A favorite
quotation comes from a financial services commercial - Behold the
turtle - he makes no progress until he sticks his neck out. Good
advice for the budding performer, too. Audiences are savvy. They
can spot insincerity more easily than you might suspect and they
always react negatively to it. On the other hand, they appreciate
someone who is direct, unpretentious, and at ease with himself.
Performers who have acquired self confidence are usually more
easygoing and relaxed when on stage. Learn to show a little
vulnerability, too. In other words, give more of yourself and see
how much more your audience gives you.
Modern marketing is as much about perception as reality.
Thus, your Packaging is critical. Sometimes, in our eagerness to
show what weve learned to accomplish, we load up our programs
with an abundance of selections; demonstrations of telepathy,
psychokinesis, clairvoyance, precognition...
If theres any one piece of advice I would give to the budding
Mentalist, it is this - do less, charge more. If we appear so anxious
to perform, so eager to cram another performance piece into the
show, it sends the wrong message to the client. Many people will
make a subconscious connection between the fee they pay and the
347
credibility of the performance. The more they pay (to a point) the
more highly they regard the performer and performance. Dont be
skittish about charging an appropriate fee. Just be sure your
deliver what you promise.
So many starting Mentalists bring the low fee structure from the
conjuring community in their transition to Mentalism, failing to
recognize a unique marketing position. While there are dozens (if
not hundreds) of magicians in every major city, there are darned
few Mentalists. When a commodity is plentiful, competition and
the marketplace force the prices down; when a commodity is rare,
the fees go up. Mentalists are scarce.
The Mentalist who markets himself as simply another
entertainment alternative is aiming too low. A better marketing
position would be to create, in the eyes and minds of those who
write the checks, the perception that we are unusual and intelligent
individuals who demonstrate and facilitate some fascinating
qualities of the human mind.
In order to gain acceptance in the world of those who will pay
four figures for a half-hour of mind opening entertainment, we must
look as if we are worth the investment. Dont skimp on expenses
when producing promo materials. Less is More also applies in
this area. Its not necessary to have a large collection of
promotional materials. Just ensure that those you do invest in are
of the highest quality. Spend a few dollars and have a graphics
professional build your stuff. You wont regret it.
Another important investment is in your wardrobe. If you want
to fly with the eagles, youd better buy your feathers in the same
shops. Those who recognize the quality clothing you wear will
make an association between your wardrobe and the fees you
charge. Its a subtle way of telling the world, Im worth it. Buy a
copy of John Malloys Dress for Success and heed the advice.
One big difference between those Mentalists earning six-figure
incomes and the rest of the pack is in how they market themselves.
In Mentalism, marketing is crucial. Not many people are familiar
with the term Mentalist and few know we exist, so its necessary
to bridge that gap and to do present ourselves in the most positive
light possible. Successful Mentalists are tenacious marketers.
They have learned how to position themselves in a manner which
presents them to the marketplace as something special. I
recommend the Jay Conrad Levinson Guerilla Marketing series of
books, found in almost any bookstore, as a primer in outside the
box thinking and marketing. Dave Dee of Atlanta also has some
dynamite marketing advice. You would benefit from attending one
of his seminars or from purchasing his marketing packages because
what you learn will move you to the next level in a hurry.
Premise, Performance Skills, Personality, and Packaging are the
four legs which support the Mentalists table. Will you set out a box
lunch - or a banquet?
348
Volume 4, Number 18
Bruce Martyn
Issue # 72
Think Psychic

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
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World Wide Web
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Overseas (airmail):
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Im not sure I invest much

1.
mystery
16.
skull
belief in some of this New Age
about
looked
2.
marsh
17.
talked
phenomena, excuses the
horoscope
trekked
3.
there
18.
shake
Mentalist, holding up a single
ghost
shock
4.
devil
19.
Klamath
sheet newsletter from a local
impossible
Khartoum
5.
mystic
20.
killer
psychic society, and I try to
positive
Kodiak
6.
psychic
21.
kilter
maintain an open mind.
choice
kilometer
7.
witch
22.
whiskers
But this example, he says,
history
hickory
8.
legendary
23.
thick
is typical of the material one
numerology
24.
awaken
9.
mental
spoken
finds lying on the counters of
astronomy
25.
taken
10.
heavens
token
psychic bookstores and such.
phenomenon
26.
hanky
11.
haunted
27.
thanks
He glances at the text for a
phantom
knoweth
12.
explain
28.
mankind
moment, hands it to a nearby
illusion
kimono
13.
entertaining
29.
kindest
participant, and remarks, It
meditation
Tolkien
14.
hidden
30.
handkerchief
aint Shakespeare. Regardless,
holding
31.
think
15.
night
knighthood
It will serve to let us test a
hypnotism
concept. Concentrate on a
word from an article or book
review there. Perhaps well
develop a psychic connection.
The performer encourages, Find a challenging word - one
which has five or more letters. Then visualize that word, spelled
in flaming letters in the sky. Is there
a T in the word? (Yes.) How about
an N? (No.) Do you see an I in
The crib for this
your sky? (Yes.) There wouldnt be
routine can be
an H would there? (No.) I thought
photocopied from
not. Ill make one more guess; a K?
the illustration
(Yes.)
above.
Addressing the audience, the
Mentalist asks, Anyone have any
ideas? The word hes visualizing
contains the letters T, I, and K. If youre visualizing more than six
letters... then the word in your mind must be kilometer, correct?
The newsletter, shown on the following two pages and ready for
you to photocopy, contains 62 words which have five or more
letters. The letters T-H-I-N-K (plus a little binary addition and a
simple pump) will provide the cue you need. Each letter has an
equivalent value; T = 1, H = 2, I = 4, N = 8, and K = 16. Each
letter which is in the selected word adds its corresponding value to
a sum run in your head. Your total will be between 1 and 31.
Refer to the chart to see which pair of words shares that value,
then pump for one or the other. In the above example, if the
participant shook his head after the ...six letters... pump, you
might say, ...then Id be surprised. Youre thinking of kilter!
349
NEWS FROM THE HALL OF MENTAL MYSTERY
The Impossible Here

and There
Entertaining About
Town
Fred Dean, in his talk this week will

explain the mystery of Mystic Marsh. He
says that there is a real ghost in the marsh,
not just some odd illusion. Fred may be out
of kilter, but he will shake the heavens
with this one!
A night of Hypnotism at the Hall of Mental

Mystery - You could be the choice of Ben
Ali, the legendary Mystic of Meditation,
and awaken with a positive new look on
life. The talk by Gila Fern will explain this
mental phenomenon, one that has not been
looked at or spoken of much in the past.
For heavens sake, be there!
Our own ghost, the legendary Old

Whiskers, of whom we have spoken in the
past, has taken on the look of a phantom in
drag. Last night, in full kimono-like garb
and holding a silk hanky, Old Whiskers
was seen hidden in a hickory tree. Explain
that!
Here is one to think about! (A shock for the
horoscope buff) The Astronomy Club has
now said that the heavens can explain the
history of all mankind! Well, there you go!
This will awaken a few of our psychic pals.
Not just an illusion? Not so impossible, you
say? Thanks for the positive mark, guys.
Oh, and by the way, the Astronomy Club
will be holding THICK SHAKE NIGHT
next week at the Hall of Mental Mystery.
You want to say Thanks for the plug? No
need to do so. It is just a token of our
kindest good will.
Dan Holding, who says that the ghost of a

kodiak bear has haunted his home for the
last year, has taken a positive step to end
this. Dan will hide his eyes with a thick
handkerchief and pray. When he has
spoken to the heavens, AND when the
heavens have talked back, he thinks he will
be able to explain the mystery. Thanks,
Dan, and good luck!
Psychic Phenomenon from Over the Sea This came in from the Knighthood of
Numerology:
From a marsh, five kilometers east of
Khartoum, we have taken a skull that may
well be the legendary Ghost of Khartoum!
Just holding this skull will make one think
of the history of this haunted phantom.
Did I once say that I think Numerology was
best when it looked for the hidden mystery
of life? ...but try and explain how this skull
of some witch out of history has put
mankind into the thick of the impossible!
The Devil Has Spoken... From the book:

And the devil said, He that knoweth will
rule mankind. And I felt my body shake,
yet he talked in the kindest way. This must
be impossible! I will awaken to an illusion!
But no! It was real, and I was there. And
all of history I was holding in my hand.
Some entertaining read, huh? Choice work
by Sal Kimono.
The History of Knighthood in a
Legendary Time by Ed Kilter. A tale of
mankind in a vast land of myth and
mystery, told in the vein of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Astronomy and Numerology Now - A
Positive Link. How to cast a horoscope.
Our own lady of mystery, the legendary
Olga, Witch of the East, who was the one
who said, There is mystery in the heavens
and the horoscope is the key to the
phenomenon of astronomy. Numerology is
no illusion, for history has looked at this there is no more any need to explain.
The Witch and Her Role in the History
of Psychic Phenomenon. An
entertaining new book by Ed Shock.
The Key to the Mystery of Hypnotism
by Andy Todd. If you have not looked,
Andy is the guy with the thick skull. (Just
a joke, Andy!)
The Ghost of Klamath Pass by T.J.

Watt. A mystic has taken a phantom killer
to task. Good book, but a sad tale. Read
this holding a handkerchief in your hand.
How to Explain the Most Impossible
Mystery of All Time by Joe Marsh. A
must for the hypnotism buff by a man who
has trekked to the Far East to bring back
this new info.
Meditation - Illusion, Psychic Mystery,
or Just Fake? A book to make you think.
(But about what, Im not sure.) By Dr. Carl
Lane.
Phantom of the Heavens by Milo
Hanky. How to use your horoscope to
awaken the hidden you.
Night of the Skull. A new mystery by
Tom Hickory. The hero is a ghost killer
who has to do the impossible.
And last, think about this:
When the heavens shake and
the devil has spoken, there will
be one left to ask, Who has
looked at the night sky and has
seen the hidden mystery? Are
you the one? Or do you think
that this is impossible? Like I
said, think about it.
Published by: Bruce Martyn 6732 E. 38th Street Tucson, AZ 85730

The next Millenneum will open with a bang: In the works are
up to a dozen Contemporary Mentalism Teach-Ins, teaming up
with regional guest stars (each one a world class lecturer, speaker,
or entertainer) to create a full-day, total immersion experience.
The goal is to provide everything needed to elevate attendees to a
higher plateau of professionalism. There will be lectures,
demonstrations, performance, critique, discussions, and coaching,
all designed to provide the techniques and tools necessary for
success. The overall emphasis will be on improving both your
performing skills and your bottom line.
If you have an interest in seeing this outstanding seminar
presented in your area or would like to get involved as a
promotional partner, contact me right away. A maximum of twelve
events can be produced in all of year 2000 and it will be first come,
first booked.
Travel advisory: Ill be out of the country doing the Euro-Tour,
courtesy of Jean-Yves Prost, beginning in late September and I
wont return to the U.S. until mid-November. The bad news is that
an erratic publication schedule will continue; the good news is all
the fabulous material which is sure to come your way from
European contributors. Heres the schedule so far;
Sep. 24-26 Lisbon, Portugal
Sep. 28 Porto, Portugal
Sep. 29 Toulouse, France
Oct. 1 Nantes, France
Oct. 3 Rome, Italy
Oct. 5 Naples, Italy
Oct. 6 Bologna, Italy
Oct. 7 Milan, Italy
Oct. 11 Nice, France
Oct. 12 Marseille, France
Oct. 13 Nimes, France
Oct. 14 Clermont-Ferrand, France
Oct. 15 Grenoble, France

Oct. 16 Geneva, Switzerland
Oct. 18 Basel, Switzerland
Oct. 19 Wuppertal, Germany
Oct. 20 Brussels, Belgium
Oct. 21 Lilege, Belgium
Oct. 22 Lille, France
Oct. 23 Strasbourg, France
Oct. 24 Lyon, France
Oct. 26 Reims, France
Oct. 27 Caen, France
Oct. 28 Paris, France.
Two dates in the first week of November are being held open for
Berlin and Munich, but they have yet to be confirmed.
Bruce Bernstein has recently released a 34-page, comb bound
book, Perception is Everything, which revisits and updates some
ideas from his out-of-print Psi-Tech as well as divulging some very
clever additional routines. Weve come to expect excellent thinking
from Bruce and this book is no exception. Its $25.00 postpaid from
Bruce at 6031 W. Henderson, Chicago, IL 60634-4231 or contact
him via e-mail at bbxx1@aol.com.
UK friend Morley Budden of Kaymar Magic is on the mend
from abdominal surgery, prognosis excellent. Id phone him my
regards but our conversations almost always devolve into laughter,
which would lend an entirely new definition to busting a gut!
352
Volume 5, Number 1
Lee Earle
Issue # 73
Mentalism Goes Postal!

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
These days, begins

the Mentalist, I always
purchase postcards
wherever I travel. When
I return and review my
postcard collection, its
almost as if I am
standing in those exotic
locations again. Perhaps some
people in this audience would like
to take a virtual vacation tonight.
The performer empties the contents of
a small paper sack, more than four dozen
completely different scenic postcards, into a
participantsoutstretched hands. After he gives them a thorough
shuffle, the postcards are droppedback into the paper sack.
Averting his gaze, the mindreader asks four people to reach
into the sack for a blind selection of postcards. The first removes a
random number of postcards andplaces them out of sight in his
pocket. Next, the sack is passedto three persons who take out a
single postcard each and concentrate on the scenes they depict.
Without askinga single question, the Mentalist announces the
number of postcards the first person
is holding. Just for fun, suggests
the performer, leave one postcard
A tip o the hat to
unseen in your pocket when you
an earlier routine
remove the remainder and count
from Leo Boudreau
them to verify myperception. Its
which supplied the
perfect, of course.
inspiration.
Directing his comments to the
three participants holding a single
postcard each, the mindreader directs, Take an out of body trip to
the scenes depicted on the postcards you hold. Place yourselves in
those very places; feel the textures, hear the sounds, smell the
aromas. Then he goes on to describe details from the postcards colors, shapes, objects, etc. - which are in their minds.
Finally, the Mentalist makes a sketch on the paper sack, and
asks to see the postcard hidden all this time in person #1s pocket;
the drawing matches the postcard perfectly!
There is a secret stack of sixteen postcards inside the
ungimmicked bag. The paper sack is of the type which has a flat,
rectangular bottom which is just larger than the dimensions of a
postcard - 4.25 x 5.75 inches (10.5 x 14.6 cm). If necessary, select a
slightly smaller sack and trim the postcards to fit.
353
The sixteen postcards are actually two sets of eight. Lets say
the postcards are pictures of landmarks in Honolulu, San Francisco,
Phoenix, San Antonio, St. Louis, Chicago, New York, and
Washington. I use these cities because I can easily visualize them
in west-to-east geographical sequence. (You can use a similar
arrangement from Europe, such as Dublin, London, Amsterdam,
Brussels, Paris, Geneva, Berlin, and Moscow.)
The second set of cards have photos of the same landmarks,
taken from a distance, with other scenery prominent in the
foreground. So the Honolulu pair might be a picture of the
Diamondhead volcano and a wide angle photo with Wakiki beach in
the foreground showing the famous mountain in the background.
The St. Louis set would be the Gateway Arch and a shot of the
Mississippi river with the arch in the distance.
Half of the pairs must have another feature in common.
Perhaps they are night scenes, or maybe they all have water in
some form (fountain, river, lake, or pond) which is not present on
any of the other postcards. These are always the first three and the
seventh cities in your geographical sequence. In this example, all
the nighttime photographs of Honolulu, San Francisco, Phoenix,
and New York are nighttime scenes, shown here in black.
HONOLULU
SAN FRANCISCO
PHOENIX
SAN ANTONIO
ST LOUIS
CHICAGO
NEW YORK
WASHINGTON
Arrange the first eight postcards (all closeups of landmarks in a

horizontal or landscape format) in the above listed geographical
order. You will note that they are also in night, night, night, day,
day, day, night, day sequence. The second set (the distant
landmarks, all with avertical or portrait format) are stacked in the
same city and night/day order. The face card of the assembled
stack is the vertical, wide angle shot of Washington and the back
postcard is a horizontal closeup of the Honolulu landmark.
It is essential that you are completely familiar with the details
on each postcard - these are the little things youll reveal during
your performance.
Make a false bottom for the sack by cutting the bottom panel
from a duplicate sack and attaching it to the picture side of another
postcard which is slightly wider than all the others.
The stack of postcards is placed in the bag, picture side up, with
the false bottom gimmick on top of them. The remaining 40 or 50
assorted postcards are dropped on top of everything. When you
empty the bag, grip the bottom of the bag in a manner which allows
you to retain the stack and wide-card gimmick in the sack as the
354
remaining postcards tumble out. You can flash the inside of the
bag to the audience, but dont be obnoxious about it.
After the indifferent postcards are shuffled and returned to the
bag, you demonstrate how each person is to reach into the bag,
take the top postcard, and conceal the picture from everyone. What
you actually do inside the bag is to turn over the entire batch of
postcards, putting your stack on top, picture sides down. Remove
the gimmick (false bottom) postcard as you demonstrate for the
participants how to conceal the pictures by placing the card flat
against your chest.
Mention to the first participant that it would be a good idea to
take out a random number of postcards to make things more
interesting. Grab several, you say, at least 3 or 4, as many as a
dozen or so - just to make things interesting. Then tuck them into
your jacket pocket like this. Thats when you ditch the gimmick
postcard in your inside jacket pocket in illustration.
Ask the three people holding single postcards to concentrate on
the depicted scenes. I get a strong sense of a nightime vista, you
comment. If you are focusing on a photo taken after dark, please
close your eyes and concentrate on that image in your minds eye.
Thats when you turn and see whose eyes are closed and secretly
perform a little addition. The first cardholder has a value of one,
the second persons value is two, and the third participants value
is four. Add the values for the persons with the closed eyes to get
your first key.
In order to determine which city is shown on the first of the
three single postcards - you employ a mnemonic skill. Each
numbers rhyme is associated in a weird and wacky way with one
of the cities: One is a gun, blasting a huge hole in Chicagos Sears
Tower; two is a shoe, stomping Honolulus Diamondhead;three is a
tree, growing intertwined in the St. Louis arch;
four is a door,
opening into Washingtons monument;five is a hive, with bees
swarming San Franciscos Golden Gate bridge;six is a pick,
plunged into a cactus in Phoenix;seven is heaven, with an angel
hovering over the the Texas Alamo shrine; and
zero is a hero,
guardian of New York Citys truth, justice, and the American way.
For example, assume the first and second persons have closed
eyes. Add their values (1 + 2 = 3; three is a tree - growing in the
Gateway Arch in St. Louis), thus the first persons card (card #1) is
St. Louis. Ingeographical sequence, the second persons card is
Chicago and the third persons card is New York. Youll reveal this
information, and details on those postcards, later.
This is when you share your first perception, the number of
postcards taken in the first batch. If card #1 is being held in a
horizontal position (this is a very subtle cue - people always turn
photos upright to view them), you know its from the first set of
eight postcards, therefore, the initial participant has fewer than
355

Thus begins Volume 5. Has it really been five years?
This issue features a single routine instead of the usual two or
three, primarily becaue it would have been impossible to describe
the postcard thing in even two pages of 500 words each. Last
issues one-routine layout was due to the need to include the fullpage graphics. All this is written to let you know that SYZYGY
hasnt undergone a format change, its just coincidence that two
full-issue presentations fell back to back.
Just test droveIts Paranormal from Ted Lesleys Wonder
Workshop - and Im really impressed! Fold a little square of
cardboard (its business card thickness) into a pyramid shape and
place it atop a spindle of some sort (a needle stuck into a matchbox,
a pencil wedged between two books, etc.). Concentrate, and the
pyramid slowly rotates. Air pressure? Nope. Cover everything with
a large glass and it still twirls on command. Its about $70,
depending on the exchange rate, at www.wonderworkshop.de
(registration for a password is required) or you can order from
TedLesley@wonderworkshop.de. He accepts major credit cards, too.
POSTCARDS, continued
eight postcards in his pocket. Count the postcards in geographical
sequence (in your mind, of course) until you reach what you know is
the card held by participant #1 (in this example, Honolulu, San
Francisco, Phoenix, San Antonio... four postcards). Should card #1
be a vertical scene, there are at least eight postcards hidden,plus
the number in yourgeographical sequence before card #1. In this
example, twelve postcards would in his pocket.
Ask the participant to leave one postcard hidden in his pocket
while removing and counting the remainder in verification. To
determine the hidden cards scene, simply observe the cards as your
participant counts them. Its easy to see which city is not in the
sequence. Just dont stare. After all, at this point, youre merely
interested in the count.
Turn your attention back to the three single postcard holders
and describe, from your memory of the cards in your stack, small
details in the scenes they are viewing. Keep your descriptions
general, as if you were slowly perceiving just little snippets of the
three persons thoughts. Save the full description for the final card.
The final, hidden postcard becomes the target for an amazing
feat of image duplication. Here is where you take a marking pen to
the side of the sack and duplicate the hidden postcards photo in as
much detail as you care.
For additional impact, have the participant reproduce his
postcards scene by drawing it on a blackboard, dry erase panel,
overhead projecter transparency as you simultaneously draw the
scene from your memory on your board, panel, or transparency.
356
SYZYGY 3-ring custom

binders still available,
$12.50 + postage.
Volume 5, Number 2
Scott Shoemaker
Issue # 74
Actions Speak Louder

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
As a recent special on The Learning

Channel shows, begins the Mentalist,
sometimes it seems the thoughts we can
best perceive are intended actions in the
minds of others. Ive received permission
to ask a few volunteers to assist - would
they please join me here now? Three
participants step to the platform, are
introduced, and welcomed.
Each of you was requested to think of
and concentrate upon a simple action,
such as tying a shoelace, clicking a
ballpoint pen, and so forth, reminds the
performer. The sort of actions any of us
could reenact without embarrassment on
the platform. Also, you were requested
not to share those ideas with one another and you were specifically
instructed not to write them down. Right? All concur and agree.
Until now, that is, the mindreader grins. All three are
handed jumbo marking pens and large writing tablets or stiff,
white cardboard panels. They are asked to write (for the
audiences benefit later) those
intended actions, keeping the writing
unseen for the moment.
This is a superb
Taking one participant by the
stunt which can be
hand and holding it throughout, the played as telepathy
mind reader says, Just think of what
or non-contact
it is you wish me to accomplish in a
mindreading.
step-by-step fashion. For example, if
your secret action is for me to comb
my hair, first guide me to reach for my comb, then to raise my arm,
then to stroke the comb through my gorgeous locks. Fair enough?
Slowly, deliberately, the Mentalist removes his glasses, takes a
handkerchief from his pocket, polishes the lenses, and then
replaces the spectacles on his face. He asks, Is that the action you
had in mind? Show the audience your panel. It reads, Clean
your glasses.
The second participants test is accomplished with that persons
hand resting lightly on the performers shoulder. The third test
requires only that the participant stand behind the Mentalist and
concentrate upon the action.
Please turn to ACTIONS, page 358
357
ACTIONS, continued
Pre-show work and double-speak are the modus operandi.
Sample actions:
Approach some smiling audience members and ask if they are
willing to participate in the program. A little cold-reading or a
Loosen your necktie
quick test of their psychic abilities pays off nicely at this point.
When they agree, they are told that their only responsibility is
Re-tie your shoelaces
to think of simple actions ant to project them to the performer. To
guide each in choosing an appropriate and physically possible
Remove your belt
action, you provide a stack of 3 x 5 file cards with various actions
written on one side. All participants are to select one at random for
Scratch your knee
the demonstration and keep that thought to themselves.
The pack of action cards is, of course, gaffed. Its your choice as
Comb your hair
to the method. For example, they could be made like a side-cut
Svengali pack with random action cards trimmed narrower than
Put a pencil behind your ear
the duplicate, interleaved force actions. When the facedown packet
is cut and the face card of that packet viewed by the participant, it
Take a dollar from your wallet
will be one of the force actions.
Or, you could have the action cards in a memorized order and
Clean your spectacles
simply ask each person to cut the pack on your outstretched hand
and take the top card. A glimpse at the bottom card will lead you to
Yawn and stretch
the one chosen, the next one in your sequence.
Another possibility is to line up the cards as in a one-way pack.
Sit and cross your legs
After three cards are removed and read, you reverse the pack for
their return and honestly shuffle them a bit. Not in an, Ill lose
Crack your knuckles
your cards in the deck manner, but more as a nervous affectation.
Backstage, pull out the three reversed cards to learn the actions.
Roll up your sleeves
During your introductory remarks, when you state that youve
asked three participants tothink of actions, the audience will
Make a paper airplane
assume they devised the actions whereas the participants will
remember that you asked them toconcentrate on the actions they
Do an exercise
randomly selected. Of course you never mention to the audience
about the cards and, if youve done your pre-show work in an
Turn around twice
offhand manner, the participants will be more amazed than anyone.
Heres a fun variation which works well
with the right audience.
Remove your jacket
As you are working on test #3, and if one of the first two helpers is a
woman whom you judge to have a sense of humor, during the test,
Roll down your socks
walk up to her and hesitate - then place her left hand on your right
shoulder. As if deep in concentration, carefully place your right
Touch your nose with a pen
hand between her shoulder blades. Next, take her right hand in
your left hand, held at shoulder height. Obviously, you are in a
Interlace your fingers
dancing position with the lady. Turn to your helper who is
concentrating on the action and ask, Is this what you wanted me to
Take a deep breath & exhale
do? Of course, hell say, No. Then you shrug and say, Hmmm.
Must be wishful thinking. And to the lady (as you kiss her hand
Jump or hop three times
and step away smiling politely), It was a pleasure, dear lady. (It
would be best to choose a comfortably middle-aged woman rather
Clap your hands
than the most beautiful women in the room.)
Then you go on to bring the test to a satisfactory conclusion.
358
Chris Wardle
Compatibility
if you
Write 3 wedding
wear a 2 if you
ring or
do not.
if you
Write 9 er than
are old if you
20 or 8 ger.
are youn
e male,
If you ar if female
write 4; enter 9
please
y,
e happ
If you ar but if you
write 8 ppy,
are unha
write 7.
Chris is an English
performer who has
had several of his
routines published
in Abracadabra.
Psychologists tell us, begins the Mentalist, that the longer we

are married, the more we think like our spouses. Lets find out.
Are there any married couples in the audience? Please raise your
hands. Several sets of potential participants comply.
Indicating one couple, the performer asks them to come to the
stage and take their seats on chairs which are placed back to back.
The two of you will take a simple compatibility test which is both
painless and easy, remarks the performer, handing spiral
notepads to husband and wife. Youre reminded that you must
carefully follow instructions. The wife is instructed to construct a
four digit number and to write it in large digits on the pad. When
shes through, shes to close the cover on the pad.
Turning to the husband, the performer says, Ill request some
data and you will write your responses in a column on your pad,
for easy addition. First, write the year of your birth. Next, write
the number of years have you been married. The third entry is
your age at the end of this year. Finally, write down the year
were you married. Now add the four figures to reach a total.
The mind reader turns to the wife and asks, You werent asked
these same questions, were you? Of course not, she replies.
The husband announces his total and the performer opens the
wifes pad to show the very same number!
This routine is based on a mathematical oddity; if you add
together the answers to the four questions above, the total will
always be twice the current year.
The trick is getting his wife to write the same number. Prepare
the pad by cutting off the bottom 3/4 of the top sheet. Lightly write
the four simple instructions, one for each digit, on the 1/4 sheet
directly above rectangles which are drawn on the sheet beneath to
indicate the size of digits you wish her to write. As you are telling
the couple that they ...must follow instructions, you hand the
lady the opened pad. Everyone will think she has a free choice
while she believes you are referring to the four numbers she has to
write for her answers. The deception is complete. When you open
the pad, you will flip the 1/4 instruction sheet over with the pads
cover. If you wish, a spot or two of adhesive on the inside cover
will make this automatic, but its not necessary. Here are the four
simple instructions (remember to adjust them for each new year):
1) Write 3 if you wear a wedding ring and 2 if you do not.
2) Write 9 if you are older than 20 and 8 if younger.
3) If you are male, write 4; if female, please enter 9.
4) If you are happy write 8, if you are unhappy write 7.
Obviously, you will choose an older couple in which the wife is
wearing her wedding band.
359

This issue is due to hit your mailbox just about the time Im
somewhere in Europe on a 27-city lecture tour. So if your mailing
label Subscribed through number doesnt match a recent renewal
you may have sent in, dont be alarmed. I printed the mailing
labels for this issue on September 1st, well before leaving the
country. The next issue will mail in late November after I return.
While Im on the subject, if your subscription expired a the end
of Volume Four, this will be the last grace issue you will receive.
I dont mind fronting an issue or two for procrastinators, but
business realities being what they are, thats about it.
Its appropriate at this point to mention that the aforesaid
EuroTour would not have been possible without the translations
supplied by three SYZYGY subscribers -Peter Lipp of Austria,
Aroldo Lattarulo of Italy, andFrdric Masschelein of France.
My heartfelt thanks are offered to these good people who have been
generous with both their time and their talents.
File this under Last minute updates: The two Swiss cities in
the EuroTour have exchanged dates, so Ill be in Basel on October
16-17, and in Geneva/Lausanne on October 18th. Also, thanks to
the efforts of Peter Lipp, a lecture date has been confirmed for
Vienna, Austria on October 31 andMike Porstmann has arranged
the same for Munich, Germany on November 1st. Thanks to both of
these fine folks for their efforts in bringing Contemporary
Mentalism to their cities. And, of course, mega-thanks for all the
confidence shown in me by Jean-Yves Prost of Lyon, France, who
was responsible for booking the majority of the dates in the tour. It
is fantastic to know such wonderful people around the world and I
cherish their friendship.
While yours truly is carrying the colors on the Continent,
sancemeister E. Raymond Carlyle will be touring England in
October. SYZYGYs U.K. subscribers are encouraged to cancel all
other engagements if necessary to see this spirited performer in
rare lecture mode. His jolly, basso profundo voice will be heard in
Sheffield on October 12, in Hull on October 14, and finally in
Upminster on October 20.
Subscriber, contributor, entertainer, and infomercial maker
Craig Karges has a new publication in bookstores everywhere;
Ignite Your Intuition. Hell provide an autographed copy if youll
send your check for $13.20 to him at P.O. Box 2006, Wheeling, WV,
26003. You can also phone your order to: 304 233-4366.
I goofed. For Mentalism Goes Postal in the previous issue,
the
mnemonics key to the wrong cities. Here are your new associations
(use the images in the issue as examples in creative imagery only):
One - gun - Phoenix; Two - shoe - Chicago; Three - tree - San
Francisco; Four - door - St. Louis; Five - hive - New York; Six - pick
- Washington; Seven - heaven - Honolulu; Zero - hero - San Antonio.
360
SYZYGY 3-ring custom

binders still available,
$12.50 + postage.
Volume 5, Number 3
Lennart Green
Issue # 75
Intuitive Eye

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Card players, informs the

Mentalist as he breaks the seal
on a new deck of cards and
thoroughly shuffles them, are
always looking for an edge of
some sort. Blackjack players
especially have become rather adept at
counting the cards to gain an advantage.
Heres how they learn to use their intuitive eye in that pursuit.
The performer divides the deck into two piles about twelve
inches apart on the tabletop and does something rather unusual
he flips a portion of one packet face up between the two and then
shuffles it into the other face down packet. Then he flips about
half of the mixed packet over and shuffles it into the first face
down packet. This procedure is repeated once or twice and then
the deck is reassembled.
Now that the deck is randomly distributed in a face up and
face down mess, says the mindreader, it becomes the perfect
practice tool. The gambler will spread the deck in front of him for
less than a second and then scoop up the cards, like this...(his
actions follow his words)...and then depend on his intuitive eye to
supply the count of face up calls. In this instance, I think there
are seventeen.
He hands the pack to a
participant, asking, Please divide
With Lennarts
them into two piles to verify. Of
permission, Ive
course there are exactly seventeen
given his card trick
face up cards.
a Mentalism twist.
The deck is assembled with all the
cards once again face down. Lets
see how an advanced card player
might practice with an even more difficult technique, suggests the
Mentalist, who repeats the shuffling procedure, even inviting a
participant to take over the shuffling task.
The performer suggests, To really test his improved
perception, the gambler quickly will riffle the deck only once, like
this ... (he does so) ...and follow his inner perceptions. For
example, I have the impression that this deck has thirty-two face
up cards. Count them, please, and when you do, he pauses, as if
in thought, and continues, remember, twelve and eight. He
gives the pack to the participant to divide them into face up and
face down piles. The face up group tallies exactly thirty-two!
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Please turn to EYE, page 362
361
EYE, continued
Remember the two figures I gave you? asks the

Mentalist. They represent the number of red and
black cards which, by a process of elimination,
should be in the face down pile twelve and eight
respectively. When the packet is divided, the color
count matches the performers estimate perfectly!
For the first sequence, simply cut a known
number of cards (in this example, 17) off the top of
the deck and place that packet about a foot to the
left of the remainder of the deck. (1)
Next, flip about half of the remaining deck face
up between the two packets. (2)
Shuffle it into the cut off packet (3).
Square the packet and position it again about a
foot to the left of the first packet. (4)
Now turn over about half of the shuffled pack
over to a position between the two packets. (5)
Shuffle it into the first, original deck packet (6)
and position the newly shuffled packet for a repeat
shuffle sequence. (7)
Repeat this odd procedure as many times as you
wish; twice should suffice. When you assemble the
deck, just flip the left hand packet (turning it over)
onto the right hand packet. The number of face up
cards will equal the amount originally cut off, 17.
As they are divided by the participant, make a
running count of either the red or black cards in the
face up packet; in this example, eight black cards.
When you assemble the deck, pick up the face down
cards first and covertly bring three
red cards to the
top and injog the third from the top. Take the face
up packet and turn it face down on top of the deck.
Including the injogged card, there will now be 20
cards, eight of them black, atop the deck.
Offer to repeat (as in the description) and cut off
the packet of 20 and shuffle as before. Your
participants should be familiar enough with the
shuffle sequence to do it for themselves, so be sure
to involve them.
For the second demonstration, simply flip over
the shuffled original deck packet (right) onto the
shuffled cut off packet (left).
Your 20 cards will be face down in the mixed
deck. Assuming youre using a full deck, mentally
subtract 20 from 52 and perceive 32 face up cards. Then, mentally
subtract your eight black cards from the face down 20 to make your
statement about the red/black count to finish.
362
Yves Carbonnier
Hearsay
Yves, a resident of
Paris, described this
routine during a
drive around the
City of Lights
The reason courts wont allow testimony other than direct first
person accounts, begins the Mentalist, standing in the center of
the room at a social event, can be demonstrated with a simple
parlor game. A description of a fictitious event begins with one
person who then verbally relates it to someone else. That person
retells it to a third and so forth until everyone at the party has
been a conduit for the message. When the version understood by
the last person in the chain is revealed, it likely bears little
resemblance to the original testimony.
The performer pulls an envelope from his pocket and withdraws
a typewritten page from within. He says to one of the partygoers,
Here are several starter scenarios. Silently read the one of your
choice and then pass it on to someone else by whispering your
account into his or her ear. By the time the gossip gets around the
room, Im guessing well hardly recognize it.
Excitedly, the guests participate in the telling and retelling
until the story circles back to where it started. Lets compare,
suggests the mindreader to the final participant, Tell us the story
as you understand it, then the first person in our gossip chain will
read the original story for comparison. While major details
(countries, occupations, or historical periods) will remain constant,
the final version will still differ enormously from the first.
The variations in the story have given me a good idea of how
you think, claims the performer. Well do it one more time with
another beginning story, but well go in the opposite direction this
time. He hands the page of starter stories to the person who
ended the first chain to read and retell. As the tale is making its
rounds, the Mentalist scribbles a few notes on the outside of the
envelope and hands it, folded in half, to the participant who will be
the recipient of the final iteration.
When the message has worked its way to the final participant,
the Mentalist asks him to tell the story aloud. Thats interesting,
claims the mindreader, indicating the folded envelope, The first
sequence taught me how you think, and I made a few notes on
what the outcome might be. Please read them. The written notes
are an exact accounting of the altered details in the retold story!
Because this is performed at a social event, the pressure isnt as
heavy for perfection, so you can relax and enjoy yourself. The
second-from-last person in the final storytelling chain is your
stooge, who adjusts the tale to match your prediction before
passing it along to the final two participants. There are three
starter stories on the sheet and one of them is eliminated in the
first trial. Its easy for your accomplice to follow the readers eyes
to deduce which of three prearranged final stories to pass on.
363

Just returned from theJean-Yves Prost EuroTour and boy, am
I bushed. Twenty-nine lectures in seven countries, more new
friends than I can count, loads of memories, and a lifetime of
experiences all jammed into a blurring seven weeks.
Some of the highlights? Topper Martin and his inexhaustible
supply of showbiz stories told in the lobby of the hotel in Coimbra,
Portugal; Yuka Onosakas charming Rockette finger dance; the
incredible hospitality ofLuis de Matos and his staff; confeit du
canard in Fred Masscheliens Paris apartment;Marco Fida and
Tony Binarelli sharing insider perspectives in a Roman
restaurant; Vesuvius dominating the harbor view as seen from my
mountaintop hotel near Castel St. Elmo in Napoli;
Aldo
Columbinis irreverent humor prior to the Bologna lecture; a
marvelous post-meal egg-and-truffle treat in Turin; the prettiest
translator on the continent,
Laurence (really - thats a womans
name in France), in Clermont-Ferrand; a gourmands dinner in
Basel, Switzerland with cigar aficionado
Roberto Giobbi and old
friend Ron Pataki; the secret of Liege, Belgiums hidden St.
Humbert restaurants shared by
Tristan; brazenly letting myself
Photo by Jean-Yves Prost
into a Lille familys home and the laughter we shared at my
mistake; enjoying wine and cheese withJean-Yves after a visit to
ancient outdoor amphitheaters; a somber pilgrimage to Pointe du
Hoc and the American Cemetery near Normandys beaches;
shopping for pat and cheese in Paris specialty markets with
Manuel Erminy; the walking tour to a German hilltop Schloss
with Mike Porstman; and strolling through Vienna in a light,
misting rain, savoring the street vendors tasty offerings.
So many others were instrumental in making the tour not only a
financially successful endeavor but a once-in-a-lifetime dream trip.
I wish I could name and thank every single person but then there
would be no room in this issue for anything else. So, for everyone
involved, my deepest and most heartfelt thanks to you.
While overseas, I learned of the death ofAl Mann, certainly one
of the most prolific and creative of Mentalisms giants. No details,
only regrets that he left us much too soon. May he forever enjoy
fair winds and tranquil seas.
Dennis Marks offers a unique twist in Spirit Cut, a card
effect using a newly mintedDai Vernon souvenir coin as the focus
of attention. A deck, containing the participants freely chosen and
replaced card, is placed atop the coin and spun - whereupon the
pack cuts itself to the selected card. Why am I mentioning
something which has only the most remote connection to
Mentalism? Because I like Dennis and the secret something
included with the package has some very neat uses at the sance
table. His contact info is 3636 Barham Blvd., Suite S-301, Los
Angeles, CA 90068 or call 323 851-2375. Forty bucks.
364
Volume 5, Number 4
Lee Woodside
Issue # 76
Voodoo Lou

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
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It would seem, begins the Mentalist, that

some rather arcane practices are fast becoming
mainstream. For example, the Barnes &
Noble bookstores now sell Voodoo Lous
Office Voodoo Kit. He shows the
brightly colored package and continues,
Packaged with a Corporate Voodoo Doll
and Executive Spellbook, it encourages
you to Take Charge of Your Career With Voodoo!.
Removing and displaying the cloth
doll from within the package, the
performer adds, Its a multigendered doll,
because its male on one side and female on
the other. As you can see, each part of the
head, torso, and limbs has different boons or
curses printed thereon. It even comes with
black pins for evil spells and white pins for
the nicer sort of magic charms.
Speaking to a nearby gentleman
participant, the Mentalist says, You look like someone who, just
for fun, would love to practice a little
voodoo. I even have a premonition
about how you might utilize this
Lee, a regular
little tool. Would you prefer to use a
contributor, is
black pin or a white one?
always on the
Ill take black, remarks the
lookout for timely
helper.
presentation ideas.
I figured as much, replies the
mindreader with a lighthearted but
knowing smile, Will you jam the pin into the female side of the
doll, demonstrating repressed misogynism and latent antifeminism or do you prefer to do violence to the malkins male
faade, reinforcing the stereotype that men tend to act out in
competitive, warrior roles?
The participant responds, The female side.
Two for two, gloats the performer.
The best part, he goes on, is that when you buy this outfit,
all your problems can be solved for less than ten bucks - I still
have the receipt. He opens his wallet and produces the receipt.
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Please turn to VOODOO, page 366
365
VOODOO, continued
Now you make your final choice - insert the pin into
any part of the dolls female side; by choice or at
random. Just be careful of the pins point. Which
phrase or words did your thrust pierce?
It is sticking in company car, in the left arm, offers
the helper.
As I suspected, brags the Mentalist. Do you see
that small envelope peeking out of my wallet, there on
the table? Please remove the envelope and read aloud
whats printed on it.
Taking the envelope in hand, the helper reads, You
will use the black pin, seeking a curse.
Thats right, the mindreader confirms, reaching for
the envelope, now lets see whats inside. He extracts
an index card from within the envelope and shows the
block lettering on one side. It reads, You pin will pierce
the female.
He hands the card to his helper and asks, Please
read the information on the other side.
The participant reads aloud, Your voodoo will put a
spell on the company car.
Your wallet, introduced when you fish out the
receipt, is a double sided, Himber style wallet. In each
side is a manila envelope, one bearing the black pin
prediction, the other displaying the white pin choice.
Depending on which side of the wallet you leave open
after retrieving the receipt, the proper envelope is easily
at hand.
Each envelope is prepared withtwo cards inside, one
with the male premonition and the other with the
female prognostication. The female card is about 3mm
shorter than the male card (mnemonic: most women are
shorter than most men), thus it takes a minimum of
fumbling to quickly pull out the card which matches the
participants choice.
Both cards have, on the reverse side from the male/
female prediction, an alphabetically ordered tic list of all
the possible targets for the pin, headed by the text,
Your Voodoo will put a spell on:.
Make sure the cards have the tic list side facing
down when the envelopes are flap-side-up. All thats
necessary is to use a swami gimmick to check off the
proper choice when youre displaying the gender side to
the audience.
Be sure to ask your participant to ...read the
information... rather than ...read whats written...
366
Your Voodoo will

put a spell on:
Bad Golf Game
Bad Review
Big Raise
Broom-closet Office
Caught Slacking Off
Company Laptop
Computer Crash
Corporate Discount
Demotion
Drunk at Office Party
Executive Washroom Key
Extra Vacation
Go Bald
Great Presentation
Great Review
Hard Work Acknowledged
Lame Presentation
Paper Cut
Pay Cut
Respect
Sexual Harassment
Work Overtime
Your Voodoo will

put a spell on:
Big Sale
Bonus$$
Company Car
Company Credit Card
Carpal-tunnel Syndrome
Company Cell Phone
Corner Office
Fail Random Drug Test
Get Fired
Golf With Boss
Hot Assistant
No Time Off
Photocopier Jam
Promotion
Snagged Stealing Supplies
Stinky Raise
Stress
Successful Schmoozing
Ugly Assistant
Unlimited Expense Acct.
Pierre Barry
Stamp It Out
Pierre credits both

Slydini and John
Bannon with ideas
which inspired this
routine.
The Mentalist stands next to a table upon which sits a small

compact disc player, an envelope, and a padded mailing container.
Picking up the envelope, he says, Im certain youve all received
these offers from mail order music clubs, advertising a special deal
such as twelve compact discs for only a penny or so. Almost always
they have some sort of participatory promotion inside. He
empties the envelopes contents, perhaps two hundred postage
stamp sized stickers depicting different popular CD albums, into a
participants hand. You can see that they represent a wide
selection of music styles.
From the padded mailing package, the mindreader removes
twelve CDs, confessing, These are the dozen I ordered - Celene
Dion, Garth Brooks, Beethovens Greatest Hits, Phantom of the
Opera, ABBA, Christmas Organ Favorites, Shania Twain, L.L.
Cool J, Nat King Cole, The Beatles Abbey Road, Iron Butterfly,
and Peter, Paul, & Mary. Quite an eclectic collection, no? He
returns them to the package.
While listening to the tunes, muses the performer, I recalled
recent headlines announcing a surprising relationship between
music and advanced perception. Lets test that theory. He turns
to the participant holding the stamps and requests, Drop them all
back into the envelope and give it to me, please.
The Mentalist suggests to his participant, Remove just one of
those CD albums from the package, your choice. Thank you. Now
play its disc in the CD player. The music will help the mood. The
helper selects a Nat King Cole album but when he plays the CD,
the music is a symphony orchestra playing Beethoven.
It appears I made a mistake after listening to the CDs
yesterday, admits the performer, I didnt put them back in their
proper album covers. Lets go with the music anyway. He looks
thoughtfully into the distance for a moment then reaches into his
pocket and withdraws a small pair of tweezers. Tightly closing his
eyes, he thrusts the tweezers into the envelope and withdraws
them. Between their points is a single stamp depicting the
Beethoven album, matching the music.
Eleven of the CD albums, all with different cover inserts,
actually contain CDs with selections from Beethoven - often such
classical music CDs can be had for a dollar or two. CD album #12
has a proper Beethoven album insert - if it is the one selected, no
need to play the CD, just tweeze the correct stamp.
There are two tweezers, one visible, which is left buried among
the stamps, and one (with the force stamp already affixed between
the points) hidden in a thumb palm and removed from the
envelope between thumb and forefinger.
367

Irv Mr. Fingers Weiner passed away during the holidays December 14th to be exact. A Chavez graduate and later an
instructor for that school, Irv went on to become one of the nations
premier college campus entertainers as well as a prolific creator of
performance material. He was 76.
SYZYGY has teased the thousand subscriber mark several times
but, for some reason, has never made it to that plateau. This year
could be the record breaker, however. In fact, Im so determined
that this milestone should coincide with the new century that an
incentive is offered to the 1000th subscriber - a complete file of Gold
Volumes I through IV (a $400 value) plus a lifetime subscription to
SYZYGY! So cajole and convince a friend or two to sign up and be
sure they list you as a reference. If your referred friend is the
Millennium subscriber, you will receive the same bonus. There.
That ought to do it.
If you were waiting to order
Mind Warp - The Subtle Secrets of
Richard Mark, you procrastinated too long. The edition is now out
of print. A few copies may be found on the shelves of local dealers
but none remain on my shelves.
A little late to make the Christmas wish list, but worth a look
anyway, is Pure Effect - Direct Mindreading and Magical Artistry
by Derren Brown. This is mostly card stuff with a mindreading
veneer, but his before-the-fact, behind-the-scenes thinking is
priceless. The English authors style is charming, direct, and
sometimes brutal, however it is his intelligence which leaps from
every page. He is in the same pew, so to speak, as other proponents
of Contemporary Mentalism such asKenton, John Riggs, Bruce
Bernstein, and myself when it comes to thoughtful and well
constructed presentation. My review copy (spiral - wire O - bound,
6 x 9 inches, 182 pages) came from Morley Budden of Kaymar
Magic, 189a St. Marys Lane, Upminster, Essex, RM14-3BU,
England (+44 (170) 864-0557). Have no idea of price but even if its
as high as $50, it is a bargain.
Does anyone have a copy of Marilyn Vos Savants article from
Parade magazine a couple of years ago, describing and explaining
the Monty Hall Paradox? If you do, please get in touch with me the clipping Id safely filed away has disappeared and Ive promised
to send it a friend.
Finally, Im clearing the shelves of some excess inventory - a few
items which are in perfect condition but have been opened or used
in demonstration at lectures and cant be sold as new. For some of
these great bargains, please check theunlinked closeout page on
my website: http://www.Lee-Earle.com/closeouts.html .
Late news - Charles Del Rosso presents Out of Your Mind on
February 4th & 5th in Montclair, NJ. For reservations and
information, call 12 Miles West Theatre box office (973) 746-7181.
368
Wise Words:
All
generalizations
are false...
Anonymous
Volume 5, Number 5
Lee Earle
Issue # 77
Digital Kicker

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
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World Wide Web
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Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
The Mentalist
uses a legal pad to
record a series of 40
to 50 single digits
called out by
members of the
audience. After
gathering them, he
offers an illustration
of the minds awesome capabilities by memorizing and recalling
them in perfect order.
Two helpers are recruited from the audience. The first will hold
the list on the legal pad and verify the accuracy as the performer
vocally recalls the digits while the second writes those recited
digits in even rows on a large flipchart sitting on an easel.
After taking a final look at the pad full of digits, the
mindreader asks the person holding the pad to say OK or
Correct each time a digit is recalled correctly.
Beginning slowly and building up to an astonishing speed, the
Mentalist calls out all of the digits in perfect order!
Offering a follow-up demonstration, the performer asks the
second participant to add the series of
digits on the flipchart as a column of
six-digit numbers and to enter the
This finale is
total at the bottom.
extended from Deep
While you are adding the
Sea Digits by
numbers, reminds the mindreader,
George St. James,
I will be doing the same in my head.
Vol. 1, #10
Lets see if I can do it mentally as
quickly as you can on paper. Ill even
give you an edge - you may use a calculator if you wish. If the
participant requests, a large-button calculator is provided.
Ready? asks the Mentalist. Then begin. The audience is
invited to check your addition.
As the helper calculates, the mindreader turns aside and writes
a seven digit number on the unseen side of a sheet of posterboard.
When the participant has entered the sum of the figures at the
bottom of the flipchart page, he reads aloud the total of the figures.
Three million, two hundred fifty one thousand, and thirty
three, he announces. Turning around his posterboard, the
Mentalist smiles as the audience reads the figure there, 3,251,033;
the exact same total!
Please turn to KICKER, page 370
369
KICKER, continued
As with the prior version of this routine, all but the first six and
last three digits are a prememorized sequence substituted for the
numbers called out by the audience. The audience is lulled into
complacency using a sneaky psychological twist. You begin writing
their selections across the top of your pad in full view but slowly
turn from left to right, as you solicit additional digits from different
parts of the audience. By the time the sixth digit is accepted, from
someone at the extreme stage right, youve naturally pivoted so the
audience can no longer see what youre writing. The front page
drawing shows the start and finish positions of the pivot.
Adjust your grip on the pad so the surface of the pad remains
out of the audiences vision and continue requesting digits from
individuals in the audience. As each digit is called out, substitute
one of your own from your secret sequence (a combination of your
telephone number, postal code, Social Security number, etc.). Youll
need a memorized string which is 30 digits long.
Because the last few numbers usually remain in the audiences
minds a while, finish by recording an additional three digits
legitimately.These are the only numbers you must really remember.
Prepare your flipchart with spaces (light underlines) for only 42
digits so that the final three become throwaway numbers after
your initial memory feat. Your flipchart helper is told, As I recite
each digit, write it nice and large in one of those pre-drawn spaces,
filling up the first row, then the second row, etc. If there are more
digits than spaces, just ignore the extras.
When the first participant shows you the pad so you can
memorize the collection of digits, just concentrate on the
first six
and repeat them silently to yourself for a few seconds until you can
say them aloud to begin your memory feat. Then recite your secret
sequence, finish with the three throwaway digits, and youre done.
The flipchart not only allows for the audience to participate in
the finale,it also makes the second climax possible.
Insurance, sales,
As filled in by the second participant, the flip chart lists all the
and technical
digits you called out (except for the final three for which there is no
groups make the
space on the page). When you ask him to total the column of 6-digit
best audiences for
numbers on the chart, a glance at the first row reacquaints you
this presentation.
with that figure so you can mentally add it to the precalculated
total of your secret string (expressed as five, 6-digit numbers).
To sidestep doing six-digit math under pressure,
you can
generate the same total every time by neutralizing the first six
genuine digits. After youve written the last of your 30-digit secret
sequence, but before you ask for the three throwaway digits, get six
more numbers from the audience. As you pretend to write them
down, you really write thenines compliments of the first six. That
is, you subtract each of the first six digits from nine, and write
those results instead (in the example shown, 9-5=4, 9-7=2, etc.).
Please turn to KICKER, page 372
370
Ciro Gargano
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Ciro (pronounced
Cheer-o) is a
talented Italian
performer who lives
in Naples.
In simpler times, recalls the Mentalist, steeple

bells were rung to celebrate victory, to warn of danger,
and even to commemorate a persons death. My
grandmother claimed the bells had a different sound when
tolling in bereavement than when they were announcing
the time. She would always say, The bells know....
To a participant sitting next to him at the table, the
mindreader asks, Can you bring to mind someone for
whom the bells would toll? Someone who has passed on?
After receiving a positive reply, the performer
instructs, Allowing no one to view what youre doing,
please write that persons name on one of these papers and
place it in your lap. On four more papers you must now write
the first names of people whom you know to be living. Again, keep
the information to yourself and place the papers in your lap.
Before you return the stack of papers, mix them thoroughly.
He takes the participants papers and places them on the table,
edge to edge in a single row. Four of the names, he reminds
everyone, represent the living and a single name denotes a person
who is no longer among us - except in spirit, perhaps.
The performer shows a small display of metal bell clappers
(made from stiff wire and fishing weights) suspended from eyelets
in a wooden bar. Bracing his elbows for support, he holds an end
of the bar in the fingers of each hand, positioning the line of
weights so that one is suspended directly over each name.
Everyone move your hands below the edge of the table and
take the hand of the person seated next to you, the Mentalist
instructs. To the first helper he says, Ill read aloud all five
names. When I mention the deceased, silently communicate by
gently squeezing the hand you hold. Ill pause between names to
allow everyone to pass the information on in the same manner. Is
it Alice... Cindy... Elizabeth... Cecille... Hester?
Slowly, almost as if touched by a spirit hand, one of the
pendulums begins to sway while the others remain still. The gasps
from around the table are evidence that the swinging clapper is the
one over the name of the departed.
Grandmother was right, says the performer, The bells know.
Provide your participant a very sharp pencil with a soft lead.
Thus, the first name written will begin with a thin line. Succeeding
names inscribed will begin with a progressively broader stroke.
Each weight hangs from a different length stem, making five
pendulums of dissimilar moments. Small, rhythmic movements
on your part easily cause only the proper one to swing. Try it .
371

The previous issue (#75) was sub-labelled Volume 5, #5. It
should have been Volume 5, #4. No issues were skipped.
If youve not visited the SYZYGY website in a while, it may be
worth another look for you. The format has been cleaned up to
allow for faster loading and easier navigation. New to the website
is a page for end-of-stock, closeouts, demostrators, and odd lots at:
http://www.Lee-Earle.com/closeouts.html .
Wise Words:
KICKER, continued
As you grow
older, you stand
The genuine digits (the first row) plus your neutralizing digits
for more and fall
(the seventh row) always add 999,999 to your secret strings sum.
for less.
For a sum of all theindividual digits, just add all of your secret
string digits together, plus 54 (9+9+9+9+9+9). Having
precalculated that figure will allow you to give your helper the
choice, Do you want to add the numbers as a column of 6-digit
numbers or would you rather just totalize all the individual digits?
Its a good idea to avoid presenting this stunt as a prediction that sort of presentation invites reverse engineering which works
against our interests.
Build your secret string of numbers out of number sequences
you already have memorized - phone numbers, zip codes, etc., but
steer clear of those which have repeat digits (which call attention to
themselves). Likewise, you will say, when someone attempts to
give you the same digit just offered previously, Repeat digits are
too easy - how about a different one?
As you pretend to gather digits from the audience, engage
everyone, from the front row to the standees at the rear. It puts the
audience on notice that you intend to involve all of them.
Occasionally, ask someone to repeat when saying aloud a
number for you; its a subtle way of reinforcing that you are indeed
writing the offered digits - else why would you be striving for
accuracy? You can even mis-call the digit as you write and, after
they correct you, erase the entry and rewrite it.
To speed up your digit gathering process, when you point to an
area of the audience for your next digit and two people shout out
numbers, say, Ill use both - thank you. And then write down the
next two (or even three) numbers in your secret sequence.
As you begin to recite the memorized digits, point to the general
area of the audience from which the numbers came. The first six
are easy since you worked from your left to your right; the
remaining points are simply showmanship.
Remember to look triumphant at the finish - this stuff is
supposed to be difficult and if youre too smug, theyll smell a rat.
Finally, be sure to acknowledge your two participant-helpers
during the applause and thank them for their assistance.
372
Anonymous
Volume 5, Number 6
Victor Ray Atkins
Issue # 78
PK Under Glass

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
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There is no question, begins the

Mentalist, that our perception of the world
around us can be altered. Just ask anyone
who was a child of the sixties. But can
your mind affect the physical fabric of
reality itself? With your cooperation, it
can be demonstrated .
The performer removes a small,
folded square of paper from his wallet.
A straight pin, of the type used by
tailors and seamstresses to hold fabric
while sewing, is contained within the fold.
As the folded square is smoothed flat, all can see a bold, black
rectangle printed on one half of each side of the paper square.
Looking around the tabletop, the mindreader says, Well need
something to keep the pin upright - here, this cardboard coaster
will serve perfectly. He pushes the pin through the center of the
coaster until the head of the pin is flush with the fiber mat. The
coaster is placed on the table before him with the pin now pointing
directly to the vertical.
Folding the square of paper into an elongated V, the performer
then balances it on the point of the
pin. Inverting a tumbler over the
impromptu device, the performer
Straight pins are
explains, Because our target is so
available in steel or
light and subject to the whim of every brass - the latter is
breath, well isolate it under glass.
preferred for this
I think the secret, informs the
presentation.
Mentalist, is to synchronize our
thoughts. Focus your mental energy
on my hands as I move them around
the target. You must will the paper to follow the movement.
The performer circles his hands around the glass, guiding the
participants concentration. The paper target quivers, then turns!
Believe it or not, no special paper is needed. In fact, the
cheaper and lighter the paper, the better - but it must be laser
printer compatible. Its not widely known that laser printer toner
is magnetic. Draw a solid black rectangle in a paint or illustration
program on your computer and run the sheet of paper through
your printer several times to deposit multiple layers of the toner.
The movement is induced with a strong magnet (sold by dealers
for the PK match trick) worn on the inside of your arm, held by an
elastic bandage. Bonus: Darken unprepared paper using a
Midnight Black Cover Girl eyeliner pencil. Amazingly, that
cosmetic is also slightly magnetic.
373
Lee Earle
L.E.X.I.con Revisited
When scientists explore the sixth sense, remarks the Mentalist
holding court at a social gathering, they always use randomly
selected targets to avoid any possibility of outside influence.
Colors, shapes, and words have been found to offer the best chances
for success. Lets explore.
He walks to the hosts bookshelf and removes one volume,
saying, This book has several hundred pages and hundreds of
thousands of words. Surely one of these randomly selected would
serve as an excellent baseline to test our psi abilities.
Holding a toy magnifying glass (such as one might find in a
Cracker Jack box) at his fingertips, the performer turns to a nearby
participant and instructs, You may need this, soon. As I riffle
through the pages of this book, please stop me at any page.
As the pages flip past the helper says Stop and the mindreader
legitimately halts at the selected spot. Then he openly drops the
magnifying glass between the pages, closes the book, and hands it
to the participant saying, Step to one side, open the book at the
magnifier, and look for the longest word in the top line of either
page. Make sure its a word you can both pronounce and spell.
When the participant indicates he has one and only one word in
mind, the Mentalist withdraws a pack of alphabet cards (available
from toy stores or educational outlets), shuffles the deck, and hands
a portion to several members of the audience, keeping a small
packet for himself. He says, Each of you holding alphabet cards
will look through them as our first helper concentrates on the
letters in his target word. You will remove the letter card of your
choice and hold it on your extended hand, face down. The
Formerly a
performer demonstrates and then goes on, Dont show anyone the commercial release,
letter youve selected we wouldnt want to influence the other
this routine is
participants.
updated to work as
Once all the helpers hands are extended, the performer gathers
if impromptu.
the selected letter cards and asks the on-stage participant, How
many letters are in your word? Six, replies the helper.
I rather expected a longer word, remarks the Mentalist
turning the gathered cards face up and spreading them to view
their faces and counting eight of them. Ill discard a couple. He
removes two from the group and places them aside.
Next, the performer shows the remaining chosen letter cards in
sequence to the initial helper, asking with each one, Is this letter
in your word? For all but one, the answer is Yes.
The single card which elicited a No is exchanged for one of the
earlier discarded pair. The mindreader asks, How about this one?
Yes! is the reply.
Tell everyone, please, asks the performer, the word you were
spelling in your mind.
374
Louver, is the response.

The Mentalist turns over the selected letter cards one by one.
They spell L-O-U-V-E-R!
You will need two of the small novelty magnifying glasses
which are the thickness of a half-dollar coin. Before you perform,
remove a paperback book from your hosts library and find a blank
page (usually a chapter heading) or one which has only an
illustration on it. Look at the top line of the facing page for the
longest word. With luck it will be six or seven letters long. Place
one magnifier between the pages near the spine and return the
book to the shelf.
During your performance, you will casually remove that book to
force the word. Hold it firmly near the spine to prevent the
magnifying glass from falling out.
Your second magnifier is gimmicked with a loop of invisible
thread attached. When you legitimately stop at the spot suggested
by your helper, just drop the it into the book (the loop of thread
stays around your thumb) and close the book. Before you hand
him the book, transfer it to your other hand and secretly withdraw
the looped magnifier behind your hand. Voila!
Because you instruct your helper to go to the top line of either
page, everyone believes the participant is in control of the word
selection when, in fact, he has no choice due to the one blank page.
Your deck of alphabet cards is contains a thick, key card made
by gluing two cards face to face (use Z and Q).
Assuming your force word is LOUVER, pull those cards, as
well as two random others, from the pack. Place the double back
card on top of the face down eight letter cards and put the balance
of the alphabet pack face down on top of these.
When it is time to hand out cards to eight participants in the
audience, give each person 4 or 5 cards until all those above the
double backer have been distributed. Youll use the remaining
cards (your stack) to illustrate what you wish your audience
helpers to do. Mix your cards and have your participants do
likewise. Now fan the cards, faces towards you, and select one (the
double backer) and remove it from the group without showing its
face (you cant, really). Ask your helpers to remove from their
packets the one letter which each believes could be in the stage
participants word. These cards are held on their outstretched
palms, face down.
Replace the double backer on top of your face down stack and
then collect each helpers unselected cards, placing all of them face
down on top of the growing packet in your hand. When you have
collected all of the unused packets, you will have about 45 alphabet
cards in your hand, with the stack of force cards at the bottom and
the thick key card between the stack and the rest of the deck.
Please turn to L.E.X.I.con, page 376
375

Quentin Reynolds is now a published mainstream author,
having writtenIntuition: Your Secret Power. Quentin is among the
growing number of Mentalists who have moved over into the realm
of professional speaking. You can order the book directly from him
at: Adventures in Astonishment, 134 Custom Hall, Deverell Place,
Dublin 1, Ireland. or call (353) 1 872-0992. The price is $20,
postpaid airmail to any country.
May 1, 2000 will forever mark the passing of
C.L. Board
(Warren Schoonmaker), the man who authored those wonderful
volumes on billets and book tests,Mainly Mental. A day later,
Basil Horowitz succombed; two giants in two days.
Mark your calendar for November 3rd, 4th, & 5th. Marketing
wiz Dave Dee and I will be combining forces in a multi-day Boot
Camp which will light your promotional fire and generate steam in
your marketing boiler. Bear in mind that this will not be a lecture
or a convention, but aworking weekend which has the potential to
make a significant difference in your performing income. There will
be a separate mailing arriving soon with all the details space will
be limited so when the envelope arrives, respond right away.
L.E.X.I.con, continued
Double undercut the stack and key card to the top, retaining a
break below the stack. Go to the first person and pick up his card,
keeping it face down, and place it upon the second persons card.
Pick up both and deposit them on number threes letter, and so on
until all eight of the selected cards are on the last helpers
outstretched hand.
Pick up the eight cards in your right hand, thumb at the rear
and fingers at the front, and bring them near the top of the deck of
cards in your left hand. Ask your initial participant to tell you how
many letters are in the word in his mind (as if you didnt know...).
His reply provides all the misdirection you require. In one motion,
place the cards in your right hand on top of the deck and turn over
all the cards above the break, placing them back atop the deck.
Raise the deck as you thumb the top eight cards off. The audience
will see only the backs of the cards. When all eight are in your right
hand, lower the deck allowing the audience to see the double backer
now on top of the pack. You can count the cards aloud as you thumb
them off and then remark that you have two too many.
Place aside one of the indifferent cards and one of the correct
letter cards. Continue as in the routines description.
Here is the beautiful subtlety: Because you have never shown
one of the discarded letters, any person who chooses a letter and
subsequently does not see it in the spelled finale, assumes his was
the one letter discarded!
376
Wise Words:
Good judgment
comes from
experience and a
lot of that comes
from bad
judgment.
Anonymous
Volume 5, Number 7
Brian Watson
Issue # 79
The Freudian Reading

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
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As Magicians or Mentalists we
sometimes wish it were possible to remove
our knowledge and enjoy the childlike
sense of wonder our audience (should) enjoy.
I experienced that very feeling during a
conversation with a work colleague. I
discovered something in which I have seen a
great deal of potential. It certainly gave me a
jolt when it was shown to me.
Try this yourself, take a piece
of paper and a pen and answer
these questions.
1. Your favorite animal.
2. Describe your favorite
animal using three one-word
descriptors.
3. Your second favorite animal.
4. Describe your second favorite animal also using three oneword descriptors.
5. Using three different words, describe the Sea.
6. Using three more one-word descriptors, describe the Forest.
Now, if you answered truthfully
you should be in for a surprise. Here
is a breakdown of what the questions
The real potential in
are supposed to represent
this routine lies in
psychologically:
the very final
1-2. How you see yourself or your
paragraph.
ideal self.
3-4. Your ideal partner.
5. Your current view on how you
see life.
6. Your current view on how you see death.
After this psychological test was carried out on me, I was
dumbfounded; it was very, very accurate indeed. I quizzed my
colleague on where this came from; apparently it is a standard
psychological test. I know nothing more than this. I have not seen
it in print anywhere myself.
How can we use this to create a credible reading?
By extending the questions to encompass more detail we can
pad out the subsequent reading. Remember there is no harm in
asking for the information! Just do not feed it back too obviously.
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Please turn to Freud, page 378
377
Freud, continued
Example.
1. Your favorite animal - Cat
2. Give me three words, which you feel describe a Cat perfectly.
Independent - Loving - Agile.
3. Describe your second favorite animal. - Dog.
4. Give me three words, which you feel describe a Dog perfectly.
Faithful - Playful - Affectionate.
5. Using three words, describe the Sea. Enticing - Clear - Vast.
6. Using three words, describe a Forest. Dark - Creepy - Cold.
The answers given above are not fictional, they are actual
answers given by a friend of mine.
We know that she sees herself as independent - loving - agile.
Her ideal partner is faithful - playful - affectionate. She sees life as
enticing - clear - vast. She looks upon death as dark - creepy - cold.
We can analyze this information till we are blue in the face but
for now lets just stick to the facts. The reading shown will of course
be brief as there are no cues available for feedback and no dialogue
between the client and reader.
Dont forget to tailor the reading to the individual. Lets assume
we are talking to a middle-aged lady here.
Jill, I can see that you are a strong person at heart, you have a
very caring nature and you are very loving but you do have the
inner strength to know what you want and the will to achieve it.
Life for you is full of opportunities, awash with enticing
possibilities.
As far as partners go you do like to be appreciated, to have
plenty of attention and affection. At times you can be aloof with
your partner(s) almost enjoying the attention it receives. Fidelity
and unity play an important part in your life also. You are and
expect your partner to be faithful and loyal.
Even though you do have a very loving nature, you still
appreciate time on your own to contemplate and collect your
thoughts. You seem to be very spiritual in nature, philosophical.
During your experiences in life you have had misfortune and
tasted failure but you have such a strong resolve that you have
been able to adapt and turn this to your advantage, enjoying the
journey. You have a very clear picture of what you want out of life
and what it can offer you. With the qualities you possess and your
positive outlook on life I feel sure that life for you will be full of
happiness and exiting opportunities.
To sum up, you love life and try youre hardest to live it to the
max! You know that this is not a dress rehearsal and there is no
time to waste grasp every opportunity, seize the day and enjoy
yourself.
Now, imagine the effect it would have if you asked the questions
pre-show and then gave an impromptu reading later on during a
performance.
378
Orin Shemin
Two On The Aisle

An evening at the theatre, begins the Mentalist, can be an
expensive proposition. So it makes sense to choose a play or
musical which were likely to enjoy.
The performer picks up a ticket envelope plus a handful of
playbill or poster reproductions from various productions and
suggests, Surely among all these, there is one which appeals to
you - probably on a subconscious level. Well get to that later.
Then, one by one, he shows each different item to his particiant
and then places the packet between the participants hands. The
ticket envelope is tossed on the table.
Raise your hands to the prayer position and free your mind of
all other thoughts, commands the mindreader. Whether its the
marketing savvy and artwork of the producers, word of mouth, or
perhaps because of some other reason, one of these productions
appeals to your subconscious. Picture a number between one and
ten forming in your mind. It will appear in the distance and then
zoom forward until it fills your vision. Which number is it?
Seven, states the participant.
Removing the packet of mini-posters from his helpers hands,
the Mentalist slowly and fairly counts to seven, dealing one item at
a time onto the table next to the ticket envelope. The seventh
promotional poster is given to the participant to hold. Two tickets
are removed from the envelope on the table - they are for aisle
seats to the very same production portrayed by the selected poster!
You can buy copies of theatrical playbills by calling the
distributor at (212) 557-5757, or you can use CD album covers, or
you can peruse (as I did) for images from the internet. You need
eleven different selections (your audience assumes there are ten).
Using a computer graphics program, make up two sets of faux
theatre tickets, each pair matching one of two posters. Those
posters are placed at the 7th and 9th positions from the face of the
stack of eleven. Because you ask for a number between one and
ten those two numbers are never selected. The remaining
numbers will allow you to count to one of the two force positions:
For numbers 6, 7, 8, & 9 take the stack from your helper and turn
it face up; for 2, 3, 4, & 5, turn it face down.
If you are counting to an odd number, give the participant the
item at the number chosen. For an even number, count off that
many items and hand the participant the
next item.
The ticket envelope is actuallytwo envelopes, glued back to
back. Its easy to flip it to the side containing the proper pair of
tickets as you move it aside to make room for counting the posters;
a pencil dot cues you as to which side is up.
379
Back in issue #76, I mentionedDerren Browns brand new

book, Pure Effect and recommended it. Now it is available in a
hard cover edition for $40.00 from H & R Books, 3839 Liles Lane,
Humble, TX 77396 (281 540-7229). While the material covered is
mostly card work, the author definitely has a Mentalists mindset.
Derrens approach to his audiences and the thinking he puts into
each presentation are classic.
Another recommended book is from the self help section of
your neighborhood bookstore. From the author of
Never be Lied to
Again, David J. Lieberman, this new offering is a direct ticket to
charisma. EntitledGet Anyone to do Anything and Never Feel
Powerless Again, it has sections on Getting anyone to like you, love
you, or just plain think youre great; Take control of any situation
and get anyone to do anything; and Make life easy, plus many
more. This is good, solid, psychologically based information which
will make a difference in how you relate to your audiences.
While Im on the subject of books,Richard Marks Mind Warp
is about to find its way back into print again, this time in a perfect
bound, soft cover edition due out in mid-August, priced at $24.97
and available from SYZYGY Press (thats me!).
Good friend Ted Lesley of Berlin writes to remind that
Victor Ray Atkins PK Under Glass in the previous issue is quite
similar in effect to an item he markets called
Its Paranormal.
While the underlying modus operandi is similar, the version Ted
makes available through his Wonder Workshop is much more
sensitive and animated - a plus for a working performer who needs
a consistant result. Its also sold in this country by
Hank Lee and
Joe Stephens and is highly recommended - I use it myself.
Final reminder for those who want to boost their business
Dave Dees Marketing Boot Camp, at which Ill be presenting also,
is coming up November 3, 4, & 5 in Atlanta. At his lecture for the
1999 P.E.A convention, I noticed that the people who lined up to
acquire his materials were the working pros who are
already quite
successful; they recognized the value instantly.
There are seminars in the business world charging $3,000 and
up for identical information. Dave attends
lots of them, distills the
content, filters it so that the techniques apply specifically to the
entertainment business, adds unique insights, invites other pros to
contribute their wisdom, and the result is a priceless weekend.
Ive twisted his arm to extract a sample the Boot Camps content
for the next Quarterly Supplement but theres only one way to get
it all and thats to attend the Boot Camp. Not only do SYZYGY
subscribers get a hefty discount, they will also receive a special gift
from me; just let me know after you register so I can bring enough
for everyone. The toll free, no obligation number for registration
information is 1-888-826-2320. See you there!
380
Volume 5, Number 8
Jean-Claude Titon
Issue # 80
Spycraft

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
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Overseas (airmail):
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Industrial espionage, begins the Mentalist. has replaced the

more traditional form of spying. Not only are the monetary
rewards greater but the punishment if apprehended is less severe.
The most coveted secrets these days are computer passwords.
Most security specialists suggest that we avoid common words and
dates, constructing instead an artificial word out of a mixture of
letters and numbers. Those are the most difficult to hack.
Pulling a small, folded slip of paper from his pocket, the
performer continues, Once the password is known, its much safer
to transfer it in person - e-mail can be easily traced. A corporate
turncoat might pass the vital information to a co-conspirator in an
innocuous handshake, like this... He extends his hand to a nearby
participant and, in a handshake, transfers the paper to him,
reminding, Its bad form to look at the paper right away. Just slip
your hand casually into your pocket and leave it there for now.
Taking a small notepad in hand, the mindreader continues,
Just for fun, lets construct a short password right now. Will
someone give me a letter of the alphabet? He writes the response
on the pad he holds.
And now a number, he asks.
The digit is written down, next to the first letter. Alternating
letter and number, a five character
password is constructed and shown
Jean-Claudes clever
to the audience.
idea has been
X2P5F, says the Mentalist,
slightly modified to
reading aloud the final result from
reflect the materials
the pad, is certainly about as
available outside of
random a password as one could
France.
imagine. Unless were dealing with a
psychic spy, of course.
The performer turns to the handshake particiant and directs,
Please open the paper you were given and tell us whats written
there. He opens the paper and, probably with a puzzled look,
says, Nothing!
Are you sure, asks the Mentalist, Hold it up to the light nothing shows, eh? He takes the paper from the participant,
removes a second pen from his pocket, and says, Invisible ink.
This is the developer pen.
The blank paper is placed on the pad he still holds and the pen
is run back and forth over the surface. A series of five characters
magically appears; X2P5F!
Nothing is really new here, except perhaps the plot.
381
Begin with a simple memo pad about 4 inches by 5 inches in

size. Remove a single sheet and tear in in half, to produce two
identical pieces. Fold each of these in half three time to produce
duplicate folded billets less than an inch square. One of them will
be given to your handshake helper.
The pen is one of a pair of pens which can be
found in novelty stores, science stores, and even
airport gift shops. The ink in both pens is clear
and invisible but if you write with one pen and
then scribble over the surface of the paper with the
other, wherever the two inks combine, the writing
becomes visible.
Begin by saturating an area on the top sheet of
the pad with one of the pens, then put the pen
aside for later. This process loads the paper with
one of the two chemicals necessary for the writing to appear.
Open one of your prefolded billets and place it on the top of the
pad, held there by the pen which is clipped to the top several pages.
It is positioned so you will be able to double write - on both the
opened billet and on the pretreated area of the pad.
When you write, you use thesecond of the two pens! Thus, on
the top sheet of the pad where you have pretreated the surface with
the developer pen, the writing will appear normal but on the open
prefolded billet, it will remain invisible!
You have plenty of time and cover to refold the billet as the
audience watches your handshake helper opening his billet to
reveal - nothing. Keep the surface of the pad
toward your body.
Now for the billet switch. Holding the pad in
your left hand with billet under your thumb take
the opened blank billet in your right, empty hand.
After showing the appropriate amount of
puzzlement, refold the billet one-handed and hold
the billet between your first two fingers as you
place the pad (with the second billet held against
the top page and hidden from the audience) in
your right hand to free your left hand to reach into your coat pocket
for the revealing pen. Your right thumb now holds the secret billet
in place.
Hand the pen to your helper and take the pad back into your left
hand, rotating it forward and tilting it down to a position which will
show the number you wrote earlier to him and the audience. Using
this movement as cover, pull the inked billet into view in your right
hand as the left fingers cover the old, handshake billet beneath the
pad.
Open the billet on top of the pad and continue as described,
rubbing the developer pen over the surface to reveal the secret
writing.
382
G. Allen Clarke, Jr.
Lucky Star
Turn a venerable old

betcha into a
memorable piece of
casual Mentalism.
In my pub-crawling past, begins the Mentalist, it was

common for the patrons to present puzzles, riddles, and
conundrums to one another, a successful challenge earning a free
round of drinks. Here is one I recall from earlier days.
He places a few coins of various denominations on the
bar and says, Its possible to arrange eight coins in a
square pattern, three coins on a side, to form four straight
rows of three coins each - the sides of the square. Adding
two more coins to the center of the square, the performer
continues, Now, how about doing the same with ten coins,
forming five straight rows of four coins each?
Following several unsuccessful attempts by those who take
up the quest, the Mentalist demonstrates how it can be done.
Dipping a finger in his adult beverage, he uses the moisture to
trace a five pointed star on the bar and then places a coin at
each point and at each intersection of lines. Voila! Five lines
of four coins each.
After allowing the others to admire his clever solution, the
performer suggests, Take a pencil or soda straw and place it on
any row of four coins.
One participant complies and the mindreader removes all the
remaining coins, saying, Please calculate a total of all the dates on
those coins.
When the calculations are complete, the Mentalist lifts his glass
and, before showing the underside to the gathered patrons, asks,
What is the total? Following the reply, he turns over the beer
mat, a two numbers are seen. One is the total of the dates on the
four selected coins and the other is their monetary value!
The first part is, indeed, an old bar betcha which has garnered
free drinks for ages. The illustration explains everything, including
the totals. When you supply the solution, you place coins bearing
certain dates in specific positions. Its easy to remember the order,
starting at the point of the star and then proceeding as if you were
reading lines of text, 1, 5, 10, 3, 6, 9, 12, 2, 4, 8. (Penny, nickle,
dime; a sequence in which three is added for each successive
number; a sequence in which 2 is doubled and then doubled again.)
For simplicity, use coins from 1981 through 1992, mentally
numbering the 1981 coin as 1 and the 1990 and 1992 coins as 10
and 12. Your pre-written total will always be 7944. A swami
gimmick adds the value of the four selected coins which you can
mentally add as the other calculations are taking place.
Your layout cannot be reverse engineered if you push the nonselected coins into a pile to one side.
383

Oh my, another page and issue numbering glitch. When the last
Quarterly Supplement (to have been #17) was prepared, I used the
template I had set up for regular issue #80. So not only is the page
number sequence messed up, but likewise the supplement number
didnt change either. So, for the record, what came to you as
Quarterly Supplement #80 (?) should have been QS#17. Therefore
what would have been its page numbers have been assigned to this
issue instead. This, of course, will drive the collecters nuts. Sorry.
While Im in apology mode, its appropriate to offer one for the
lengthy publication hiatus SYZYGY subscribers have endured.
Among the contributing causes have been competing professional
priorities, a bout with depression, and a diminution of the early
passion which led me to undertake this labor of love.
To those who might inquire, aside from some residual
moodiness, my health is fine.
With but a few exceptions for early
subscribers, I have not accepted subscriptions
which extend beyond the end of Volume 5 (issue
#90). My current commitment to subscribers is
to take SYZYGY at least that far, albeit still on
an irregular publication schedule. Between
now and when that issue rolls off the press, Ill
review and reconsider my options (one of which
is to publish in electronic format - .pdf to be
precise). If my decision then is to close the
publication, those faithful few whose address
labels show a final issue past #90 will be made
whole. Thanks for your patience.
The Six and One Half lives! RecentlyAlan
Williams of Australia visited our locale and the
group assembled in his honor. Putting names
to the faces, (top) Larry Becker, Lee Earle,
Alan Williams; (center) guest Mel Kientz,
Gene Urban, Mark Strivings; (bottom)
Kenton, John Greget, Dr. Juris.
Now that competing interests have finally
been balanced, its time to get everything else
back on track again. If you are associated with
a group which hosts lectures, please give me a
shout and put them in touch with me. For
starters, Im engaged for an event near Atlanta,
September 11-16 and will be in Chicago on
business November 7-11. I would very much
like to book some lecture dates in the nearby
cities and states in the preceeding or following
weeks.
384
Dave Dee
Quarterly Supplement #17
13 Secrets For Killer

Marketing Materials

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
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Most of the marketing

materials created by
entertainers are simply awful.
Their letters, flyers, and
brochures are not focused on
the prospects needs, wants,
and desires but rather scream,
Look how great I am! The
entertainer talks about the
features of his show (I predict
the headline of the newspaper, I
read minds, I bend spoons, etc.)
instead of talking about what the
benefits of the show (Your guests
will laugh, your event will be
memorable, you will get
compliments on the
entertainment, etc.)
will be.
In addition to all
of that, many
entertainers spend a
lot of money on full
color brochures that
look good but dont
sell. Now, Im not against having a fancy brochure
but it first and
foremost must be a marketing piece that sells. The truth is a
brochure is just one element in a complete marketing package and
it is not the most important part. The most important element is:
A sales letter.
Thats right. A well written sales letter will outperform the
fanciest, most expensively produced brochure nearly every time.
The sales letter should be the focal point of your promotional
package. Think of the sales letter as your salesperson and the
brochure as a sales assistant.
Here are 13 secrets for maximizing the effectiveness of all your
marketing materials including sales letters, lead generation ads,
and yes, even brochures.
1. Dont re-event the wheel! Take proven sales letters and ads
and rewrite them to fit you and your offer. This does not just mean
modeling sales letters and ads from other entertainers! Any letter
385
or successful ad from any industry can be adapted for

entertainment.
2. Create a swipe file of successful ads and letters. When you
see an ad that catches your eye, cut it out and save it.
Never throw
away junk mail. A lot of the so-called junk mail is written by the
best and the brightest copywriters on the planet. Save this stuff,
study it, and model it. Many successful direct marketers, strongly
recommend that you subscribe to the National Enquirer, The Star,
The Globe, etc. The ads in those publications are incredible and pull
millions of dollars worth of orders.)
3. The single most important factor in making a lead generation
ad or letter work is message to market match. Ive talked about
this extensively in my marketing course and its the truth. It simply
means that your offer has to haveperceived value to your prospect.
It has to be something that is appealing to them.
Something that
they want.
Of course, a letter selling your bizzarro psychic magick show, no
matter how well its written, sent to fundamentalist Baptist
churches, aint gonna work! The key to marketing your show is: The
right message, to the right market, at the right time.
Marketing guru Dan Kennedy says, Pick a battle you cant
lose. Selection is most important.The receptivity of the recipient is
the most important part of the marketing process.
4. Although there are many options, the best mailing piece
comes in an envelope with a sales letter as the main component.
5. When mailing to corporations your first letter should look like
a personal letter (A-pile mail). When responding to a lead, its best
to use B-pile mail (Mail that screams HERE IS THE INFO YOU
REQUESTED!!!!!)
6. When using the B-pile approach make sure you fill every
square inch of the envelope with compelling copy. Benefit oriented
bullet points, testimonials, etc. Speaking of testimonials....
7. You can not over use testimonials! I dont know what else I
can do to get this point across! Istill get marketing materials from Dave Dee shares his
sizzling sales tools
my students that dont have any testimonials or just a couple of
with
attendees at his
weak ones. You need to use a truckload of powerful testimonials in
Marketing Boot
all your marketing materials!!!!
Camps.
8. The headline is the most important part of any ad or letter
you do. You should have a swipe file of great headlines available to
choose from. Its easy to re-cycle and re-work classic headlines. For
example, there is a famous headline that read, They Laughed
When I Sat Down At The Piano But Their Laughter Turned To
Amazement After I Started To Play! Heres how that can be
adapted for a psychic entertainer: They Laughed When I Said I
Could Tell Their Future But Their Laughter Turned To Amazement
After I Read Their Palm!
9. You must justify any and all discounts you give to customers
and the reason must be believable. ex. The reason Im giving you
386
$100 off if you book your show before November 20th is so I can
have my holiday show calendar filled up in advance so I can
concentrate on performing.
10. Forget about your image. Youre in the business of selling
and making money. The guy with a well written sales letter, tons
of testimonials, and a great offer, is going to crush the guy with the
artsy, fartsy promotional package.
11. Use multiple Post Scripts in your letter. Restate the offer,
the deadline, the free gift, etc. In a three P.S. letter, the middle one
is most important.
12. Sell your shows in packages. Offer them multiple options.
Give the packages names, for example, Gold, Silver, or Bronze.
13. Before you write, make a list of all the reasons someone
wont book you and then come up with ways to overcome these
objections. Remember a sales letter is salesmanship in print.
Just The Fax Maam. Just The Fax.
In my marketing course and seminars, I talk about the power of
using a fax machine for booking shows.
Ive booked shows for as much as $1,250 simply by faxing my
four page sales letter to clients who responded to my lead
generation ads and letters. (Dont get hung up on the dollar
amount. There are people who make a lot more per show and a
people who make a lot less. The principle remains the same.) In
fact, last week I got four requests for information, faxed four
letters, and booked four corporate Christmas shows. Thats a 100%
closing ratio. You cant beat that with a stick!
My favorite booking from that group was for Porsche. They
called a LOT of magicians in my market. A couple of magicians
sent Porsche their colorful brochures, one had them go to his
website for information, and another, who is a very well known to
magicians, sent out his fancy promo kit and video.
What did I do? Faxed my four page letter to Porsche. Thats
right, no video, no brochure, not even a picture of me. Just a four
page typed letter! And I was the one who got the gig.
Why? Well, it wasnt because I was less expensive! It was
because of the power of the mailing piece which, by the way,
includes a ton of incredible testimonials from very enthusiastic
customers. A fancy brochure, website, or video tape may look great
and be fantastic for an entertainers image
but if it doesnt sell, its
not worth anything.
A Powerful Secret Ive Never Revealed Before
I like using sales letters instead of brochures because of their
flexibility. Here is exactly what I mean and how it ties in with the
fax machine.
387
When a prospect calls me for information, I use a phone script

and ask a number of questions about the event. Most important, I
find out what the event is for (sales meeting, awards banquet, etc.)
and the date of the event.
After I hang up the phone, I then open up my standard sales
letter in my computer, personalize, and customize the letter before I
fax it.
My standard headline reads:
Discover How My Unique Programs Of Magic,
Mindreading, & Comedy Will Make Your Companys
Event Unforgettable, Entertaining, & Fun!
When Porsche called, I discovered that their event was a 10 year
employee recognition dinner.
I customized my headline to read:
Discover How My Unique Programs Of Magic,
Mindreading, & Comedy Will Make Your 10 Year Employee
Recognition Dinner Unforgettable, Entertaining, & Fun!
I then went through and customized other parts of the letter
including the greeting and many of the subheads. The body copy of
the letter and my packages stayed exactly the same.
The whole customization/personalization process took under five
minutes. I then printed up the letter and faxed it!
The person who gets this letter is psychologically hooked into
reading it because it looks like it was written specifically for that
person and for that specific event.
It is the PERFECT message-to-market match.
Keep in mind that in most cases, the people who are in charge of
booking entertainment for the company event have been given the
job on top of their regular work. What they want is information to
make their decision easy and risk free. A well written, customized
sales letter with a ton of testimonials does just that.
This is truly one of the keys to the vault. This idea, although
simple, can be worth thousands of dollars to you if you use it.
If you are selling a super high priced show or a complex package,
do not fax the letter. Instead, put it together in a nice package and
FEDEX it to your prospect. This has the greatest impact. (Make
sure to customize/personalize that letter too!)
The proof is in the pudding though.
Faxing a customized sales
letter works and works like a charm for our business!
Do it!
(Editors Note: This is just a snippet of the material Dave teaches
in his Marketing Boot Camp. His attendees report fantatstic jumps
in income by simply applying themselves smarter, not harder.)
388
Contact Info:
Dave Dee
335 Sable Court
Alpharetta, GA 30004
Ph: 678-393-0108
Fax: 678-393-0136
Volume 5, Number 9
James Cuthbert
Issue # 81
Bit on the Backside

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
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World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
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Overseas (airmail):
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Take any coin from your pocket,

instructs the Mentalist while placing
three manila coin envelopes on the
table, decide whether you want it to
show heads or tails, and slide it
beneath one of these envelopes with
your choice facing up. Repeat the process
with two more coins.
When all the coins are in place, the
performer remarks, Youll be amazed
to learn that each time, everyone does
exactly the same thing.
He pushes aside the envelopes to
reveal the coins beneath which show, for example, heads on the
right, heads in the center, and tails on the left, and comments,
Its a funny quirk of psychology, and the odds are only 8 to 1
against, but the first coin is
always placed heads side up, while
inevitably the second coin is also positioned as heads, and the
third one isnever anything other than tails.
Sensing disbelief among his audience, the Mentalist opens the
flap of the each envelope and tips it so a coin slides out to join the
helpers coin which was beneath. As
the three coins slide into view they
If you dont mind
are seen to match those already on
tipping an
the table, heads on the right and in
insignificant secret,
the center, tails on the left.
use
gimmicked coins
I know what youre thinking,
for an even bigger
smiles the mind reader, however,
punch.
thats clearly impossible. Turn my
coins over.
On the back of the coins which match the participants heads
coins, are little stickers covering the tails side of each coin, with
the word HEADS printed on them. The left envelopes coin,
showing tails, has a sticker covering the opposite side with the
word TAILS written there.
Each coin envelope is gimmicked with a recessed interior panel
dividing the envelope into two compartments (the Larry Becker
Coinetic principle). One side holds a prepared heads coin, the
other side contains one for tails. When you lift the flap (held
closed with a dab of wax or tape) your fingers open the mouth of
the envelope and position the center panel against one side of the
envelope to trap the unwanted coin as your other hand squeezes
the sides to hold the envelope open so the desired coin slides out.
389
Erikk Dalu
Oddly Even
When working with strangers, especially in a public venue such
as this, comments the Mentalist to his three seated onstage
participants, we use clearly defined choices such as up/down,
black/white, left/right, or odd/even.
The performer places a lightweight panel about 12 x 18 inches in
size on each persons knees, to serve a lapboard for the task ahead.
Then he distributes two decks of cards more or less equally among
Erikk credits an
the participants, saying, Ill show you something interesting.
article by Nick Trost
Continuing, the mind reader says, You are to distribute your
as the inspiration
objects (were using playing cards because marbles arent practical)
for this well
into seven groups. Put as many or as few in each group as you
reasoned routine.
wish, your choice. The participants comply.
The Mentalist instructs his helpers, Your lap boards have a line
down the center dividing them into ODD and EVEN sides. Count
the objects in each of your seven piles. Those containing an odd
number of cards go on the ODD side of your working surface; those
stacks with an even number of items go on the EVEN side.
Addressing his remarks to the first participant, the performer
asks, How many piles are on your odd side? (Three) Then you have
an odd number of piles, each of which has an odd number of cards.
The performer scoops up the cards from his panel and says,
Please show the bottom side of your lapboard to the audience.
It reads: YOU WILL HAVE AN
ODD NUMBER OF GROUPS
WHICH HAVE ANODD NUMBER OF ITEMS.
Addressing the second volunteer, he inquires, How
many piles do you have on your odd side? (Two) So you
have an even number of piles containing anodd number of
cards, true? Show our audience the bottom of your panel.
The panel proclaims: YOU WILL HAVE AN
EVEN
NUMBER OF GROUPS WHICH HAVE AN
ODD
NUMBER OF OBJECTS.
Lets go the other way with our last guest, asks the
mind reader. How many sets of cards are on your EVEN
side? (Six) Thats an even number of piles containing an
even number of cards, yes? Turn your panel over, please.
The prediction reads: YOU WILL HAVE AN
EVEN NUMBER
OF SETS WHICH HAVE ANEVEN NUMBER OF ITEMS.
Based on prime number theory, the routine is self working, as
long as guests #1 and #3 each get 31 cards and participant #2 gets
32. Discard 9 cards from one of two decks, then mark or corner cut
the 31st card in the full deck and the 10th card in the partial deck.
Hand the #1 the 31 top cards from the full deck with the remainder
going to #2. Open the second - partial - deck and casually give #2
the top ten, the balance going to helper #3.
390
Richard Blackie
$0.05 Quickie
Richard devised this

Five Sense Quickie
after discovering the
cards in a parlor
game.
Much is made, begins the Mentalist, of the Sixth Sense.

However the primary five are still revealing their secrets. He
deals a card, depicting a hand, from a face-up stack onto the table.
The first sense we develop, in the womb, is the sense of touch.
He continues, This sense carries our first communication, too any mother can tell you about those early feet and elbows. It's an
important sense as well; we have learned that infants denied a
loving touch may develop as emotionally disabled.
As he places a second card on the table, the nose, the performer
reveals, Smell is the next sense babies depend upon; it's strangely
primordal. Science has recently verified that love - whether an
infant's attachment to its mother or the attraction between adults is related to pheremones, nature's highly refined scents.
The mindreader playfully moves the nose card to the other side
of the hand, saying, Although it's more fun to arrange the symbols
this way (thumb to nose).
The mouth card, signifying the sense of taste, is dealt to extend
the row closer to the participant. Taste develops quickly, he
says, A nursing infant knows and prefers its own mothers milk.
Placing the ear card next in line, the performer continues,
Hearing, as evidenced by an infant's 'startle reflex', the reaction to
unexpected, sharp noises, emerges next in the sequence.
Finally placing the eye card at the end of the row, the Mentalist
informs, Amazingly, sight is the last of the senses to mature.
Even though it will become the primary sense in our adult years.
Amazing, no? One face-down card remains in his hand.
Now it's your turn, suggests the performer. Please say aloud
a number from one through five.
Three, says the participant.
Placing the face-down card to one side, the Mentalist scoops up
the five drawings, turns them face down and deals them onto the
table. Each bears a number, one through five. He turns both the
#3 card and the sixth, unseen, card face up. Both depict the hand.
Please turn to Quickie, page 392
391

The steady march continues toward the ultimate short-term
destination, page 440, the final page of this current Volume Five.
Nine more issues and two Quarterly Supplements to go.
Although I still havent set the decision in stone, SYZYGY will
likely switch to publication in a digital format for future volumes,
something which makes a great deal of sense now that computers
and internet access have attained virtual ubiquity. It will also
provide for much more timely delivery, speeding up what has been
a glacialy slow fulfillment. Some provision will be made for those
Luddites who refuse to step into the 21st Century, but it wont be in
the glossy, high production value (high cost, high postage, high
maintenance) format which subscribers have enjoyed for the first
five volumes. Ill keep you informed as matters progress.
If you have a pet routine youd like to see published in the
original SYZYGY, Id suggest you submit that material right away.
Not many pages remain before the end of the volume.
Its not wedding bells, but other pressures which are breaking
up that old gang of mine. The storied Six and One-Half brain trust
has scattered to the four winds. SYZYGY subscriber #1,
Dr. Juris,
has left our Arizona Valley of the Sun for colder climes and warmer
company - he is now a Vermont resident and happily bouncing
grandchildren on his knee. Mark Strivings currently knocks em
dead in Colorado. Docc Hilford, the last I heard, was in Florida.
Gene Urban is almost always doing a trade show somewhere and
Kenton, I am fondly reminded, is perpetually off in a world of his
own. Larry Becker has acquired my habit of seldom changing out
of pajamas, so we rarely meet physically - although the phone lines
still get ample use. Christopher Caldwell and Jim Kroes stay
in touch from afar all too infrequently...
On the bright side, new products are developing nicely. Look for
more collaborative efforts with Viking/Collectors Workshop. Before
that, Ill publishHidden Agenda, a clone of the DreamTest book test
released about a year ago. It still utilizes the exact same principle
but comes with a new companion novel and allows a totally
different set of drawings to be duplicated. For those who do repeat
shows, its ideal. For those who collect book tests, its a must.
Quickie, continued
Of course, the prediction is a series of outs:
One - "You chose the first sense developed, the sense of touch."
Two - Use the face down card as a pointer to count to the second
card, the hand.
Four - Touch the drawing nearest you. Thats one. Touch the
next one, two. Now touch touch three, and stop on four.
Five - Two eyes, two ears, one nose, one mouth, five fingers.
392
Wise Words:
You are making
progress if each
mistake is a new
one.
Anonymous
Burt Dubin
Quarterly Supplement #18
Generating Powerful
Testimonial Letters

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Burt Dubin is a master,

a mentor, and a mensch in
the speaking business, well
known and highly regarded
for his expertise in a very
competitive industry. Burt
also serves as a coach and
advisor, both for up-andcoming presenters looking to
make their marks in the biz
as well as for experienced
old pros who wish to
reconnect with the basics.
I asked this dear friend
for permission to excerpt one
of his Special Reports for
the speaking industry to
share with SYZYGYs
readers and he agreed without a moments hesitation, testimony
both to his generosity as well as his character.
As you peruse this priceless material, think how you might apply
it. Service clubs (Lions, Rotary, etc.), for example, are always in
need of free 15-20 minute programs. You can refine and polish your
routines with an audience whose members can be quite influential
when it comes to choosing entertainment for their association
meetings, holiday banquets, corporate functions, etc. You can use
this technique when facing the prospect of either reducing your fee
or losing the show. Testimonial letters in exchange for a fee
consideration make it a win-win proposition.
Burt Dubin:
1. There is no lead like a referred lead. They are super, ultra,
the best! The finest way for you to start a referral stream is to be
superb at what you do. Let your passion for your audience light up
the room. Surrender to your purpose. Be so dynamic that your
audience is spellbound, enraptured, captivated. Be so powerful
that they cant wait to bring you back again.
2. Most presenters, however excellent they are on the platform,
must also be excellent, aggressive, relentless, shrewd marketers of
their services. Generating referrals is part of any astute
marketing strategy. Make it part of yours.
393
3. Plant these lines in your program confirmation:

Referrals: In consideration of (your name) delivering a first-class
professional presentation, Client agrees that within 10 days after
such a program, client will write a minimum of 3 letters to 3 of
clients peers in other branches, divisions, organizations, people with
decision-making authority who could engage (your name) to perform.
In this letter, client agrees to share feelings about the value of this
program and to send copies of the letter to (your name).
4. After you receive your signed program confirmation, send your
contact a letter. Let it be similar to the sample here. In this letter,
emphasize your dedication to delivering outcomes the client desires.
Mention your needs only briefly. You are now using a subtle power the power of the scribe - to be on record a second time with regard to
what client is to do for you.
Dear Blank,
Thank you for confirming my presentation for your group next
month, Wednesday October 17th. I am irrevocably committed to
you and to delivering an outstanding program for your audience.
In order to give you my very best, theres information I need
from you. Its summarized on the enclosed preprogram
information request.
Your careful, complete responses will help me craft a
provocative, insightful, custom-tailored program for your
audience. My intention is to give you, your organization, and
your audience matchless quality and value. With your help, we
will produce an unforgettable package.
Please return the printed materials as quickly as you can.
This will allow me adequate time to craft an outstanding event
for your audience.
One of the reasons I am so resolutely committed to you is
this: I treasure what you are to do for me after this
presentation. The referral letters you are to write for me
after I do a fine job for you are exceptionally important. This
is how I earn my living. I rank referrals right up there with
oxygen.
I rely on you to be as caring regarding my needs as I already
am regarding yours.
5. A few days after your magnificent presentation, send contact

photocopies of some of your program evaluations. Highlight or redunderline parts that show you off best. Some of these lines may find
their way into your commendation letters.
6. Include a letter such as sample which follows:
394
Burt Dubin is the

author of the
Speaking Success
System
Re: The three letters of commendation you are to write in

accord with our agreement
Dear Blank,
Thank you for agreeing to help me widen the world of
decision-makers who know of and appreciate my professional
services.
If you are serious

about success, I
highly recommend
that you subscribe to
Burts free e-mail
newsletter
Your letters should be three or four paragraphs at most and on one side only of your letterhead. Address one letter
to me, please. Ill use it to show others that engaging (your
name) is risk-free and a sure fire delight.
Please send the other two letters to the highest ranking
decision makers you know, people who could hire me to present
professional entertainment for their organizations.
Please let your letters be as glowing and as enthusiasm
packed as your conscience allows! Do include what is most
meaningful to you - including your personal choice of the
following elements:
1. The type of program I presented for you.
2. If you wish to quote from the evaluations, please do.
3. How delighted you are with my careful tailoring of
program content.
4. My starting and ending on time.
5. How easy and pleasant it is to work with me.
6. Any plans to have me back.
7. The audience involvement and participation.
8. Your views on my use of showmanship and humor.
I enjoyed working with you and your group. Now I will be
breathlessly awaiting your timely transmittal of these great
letters. (Original of letter to me and copies of the others,
please.)
7. If you havent received your letter and copies of the other

two within a couple of weeks, call your contact. Gently remind
that thisis a part of your agreement. That youhave gone the extra
mile for the contact. Surely this is not asking too much in return is
it? A few weeks later, follow up until contact delivers.
8. Do this with your letter when it arrives: Reproduce it on
quality paper. Use a different color and texture of fine paper for
each letter. Fine paper is usually 24 pound, 25% cotton. On the
back side of each letter include reductions of two or three feedback
forms from that date. Let your care show.
9. As for the letters of commendation to the others, treat them
as hot leads. With these people youre not a stranger. Cultivate
their friendship before you pitch your services.
If you havent included the referral clause in your program
confirmation, you can still go after a fine letter of commendation:
395
Dear (contact name),

I certainly enjoyed working with you and your people. One
of the principles to which I adhere is to give something
extra, something not in the agreement, something that adds
unexpected value for the customer. It was my pleasure to do
the extra preparation for you and your people - and I hope it
provided a positive lift for them to begin their day.
Now, theres something you can do for me. I need a letter
of commendation from you, on your letterhead, sent to me at
the above address. Would you write me such a letter?
You might indicate your feelings on any or all of the
following: How pleased you were with the presentation, how
easy and pleasant it was to work with me, your views about the
presentation style and content, the use of showmanship, humor,
value of the program to your group, starting/ending on time,
and my caring about the particular needs of your attendees.
I do hope that we have the opportunity to again work
together and that other contacts will choose to gain from this
program, too.
10. You can also go to a satisfied previous client and ask that
client, May I compose a letter for you, to go out over your
signature, to your peers in your industry, recommending my
services?
Client always says, Yes.
Then ask client for a blank letter head to be sent to you so you
can type the letter on it. Or, arrange to send text copy to the client
to type it themselves. Whichever way you do it,
get that signature
on that letter.
Dear fellow (peer name, by genre):
I want to heartily recommend (your name) as a special event
entertainer, to you. He knows his stuff and he knows how to
deliver it to our industry
(Followed by appropriate words about how great you are, and
if possible, quotes of positive comments they overheard.
Sincerely,
Signature of the happy contact.
P.S. Ive asked (your name) to give you a call one of
these days, unless he hears from you first.
11. Get the master copy of this letterin your hands before
proceeding to ask this contact for a list of peers - or - ask to have
pages from the contacts Association Directory photocopied for you.
(Offer to pay for the copies.) Or, when appropriate, get them from
the Directory yourself.
396
Contact Info:
Burt Dubin
1 Speaking Success Road
Kingman, AZ 86402-6543
Ph: 800-321-1225
www.speakingbizsuccess.com
Volume 5, Number 10
William Thomas
Issue # 82
Spoon Fed

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Uri Geller, begins the

Mentalist during his after
dinner show, made his big
splash in the psychic
entertainment biz with the
bending of keys and other
sundry assorted hardware.
Who would like to be a
close up witness of a
similar phenomenon?
As the volunteer is on
his way to the stage the
performer locates an unused spoon on a nearby
table and picks it up - examining it for cleanliness
on his way to the platform.
One of Gellers favorite targets was a spoon,
informs the mindreader, holding the spoon for all to
see. Geller is but one person, but here we will use the
psychic power output of two people. Watch as we
attempt the impossible!
He transfers the spoon to his right hand, the one
closest to the volunteer, then extends
his arm and gets a firm grip around
the spoons handle. Place your
William Thomas is
hands around mine and close your
definitely with it;
eyes, he instructs.
experienced show
Now concentrate on the waves of folk will know what
the ocean. Concentrate until you can
I mean.
actually see the waves. Got it? Soon
you will see a sudden flash of light.
As soon as you see the flash, open your eyes.
After about thirty seconds her eyes suddenly open. Did you
see the flash? Good. "Take the spoon and look what we did!
The Mentalist takes a cloth dinner napkin from his pocket,
saying, Careful, the handle might be hot. Dont touch the handle
until it cools down. Then he wraps the fabric around the bowl of
the spoon and hands it to her that way.
The look of shock and amazement on her face is priceless
because the spoon handle is bent like a snake!
The spoon is pre-bent. Use cloth or paper in the jaws of your
vise and pliers so you dont leave tool marks.
Please turn to Spoon Fed, page 400
397
Dave Arch
The Omniscient Oracle

At the beginning a short card reading with
any of the numerous fortune telling decks the
performer pulls out his business card and jots a
note on the blank side. The card is laid on the
table to one side, writing side down.
The participant is asked to mix the cards
(never shuffle) thoroughly and then divide the
deck into three piles, each containing any
number of cards which can be moved from one
pile to another until randomness is assured.
The piles will represent Past, Present, and
Future.
The top card is turned over on each pile and
an abbreviated reading is delivered on the basis
of those three cards. As the decks revelations
are being described, the performer makes a
reference to a mysterious lucky number which
will be determined later.
At the conclusion of the reading the
Mentalist offers, Your Future card predicted an
event based on your lucky number. Have you
ever had your numerological lucky number
determined? Its easy. How many cards are in
your Past pile?
Twenty one, is the answer.
A two and a one, the sum of which is three. Your Past number
is a three.
The process is repeated for the Present and Future piles.
Dave Arch is a
Continuing, the mindreader explains, Now we add the single
digit Past, Present, and Future numbers - and if the sum is two professional speaker
digits, we add those until we get a single, lucky digit. Your Past, and trainer, as well
as a long-time
Present, and Future numbers are three, eight, and zero
contributor to
respectively. Three and eight are eleven; zero doesnt change it.
SYZYGY
Eleven reduces to a one and a one, which adds up to two. Therefore
your numerological lucky number is two.
He turns over the business card to reveal the digit 2 written
there.
The secret is based upon a little-known math principle. The total
of the digits using the process above will be the same as if you
merely added the digits of the total number of cards in the deck. It
is that number that you write on the card at the beginning. For
repeat readings in a social situation, get a different number by
removing a few cards from the deck.
398
Kenneth Driscoll
Canasta Revisited
Kenneth offers this

routine as having
been inspired by
Chan Canasta.
Is it possible, asks the Mentalist, to influence the future?

Well soon find out. You, sir (pointing to a member of the audience),
please hold up your hand with as many fingers extended as you
wish. Youve selected the number two. The lady in the red blouse hold up a different number of fingers, please. I see four from here,
correct? One more - this lad in the front row. Please show me a fist
with some fingers, not two or four. Thats whats known as a hi
five, yes? The numbers two, four, and five have been selected.
They are written at the top of a dry-erase board he holds.
Addressing the third participant, the mindreader instructs,
Join me on the platform please and take one of the current novels
in that stack over there and turn to page 245. While youre doing
that, well get some audience input.
The Mentalist asks the audience to shout out single letters of
the alphabet and, as each offered letter is acknowledged, it is
written on the dry-erase board below the page number. After 60 or
so letters have been called and recorded, the performer continues,
Im certain you are all familiar with the word search puzzles
found in newspapers and magazines. Does someone see any word
solutions in this matrix of letters?
Three words are discovered in the jumble of letters; they are
circled in red. It seems, observes the mindreader, that gang,
drug and murder are among words generated by the audience.
He turns to the onstage participant and asks, Would you read
aloud the first line on page 235 in the book youre holding?
The helper reads, In my opinion, Chief, this case has all the
hallmarks of a gang murder - probably involving drugs.
Borrowing a technique from Deep Sea Digits (Issue #10), the
performer begins by genuinely writing the letters called in regular
rows and columns on his dry-erase board. As he continues to take
letter offerings from the audience he gradually shifts position so the
audience can not observe his writing. The key words letters are
inserted into the grid during the process. Because the audience
discovers them and, because they saw (at least at the beginning)
that their letters were being written as given, any suspicion on the
process is minimized. Plus, the random selection of a book and
page seems to negate any trickery. Actually, because you rearrange
the digits into ascending order, the page selection is limited to: 123,
124, 125, 134, 135, 145, 234, 235, 245, & 345. You already know (or
have a crib note to tell you) the key words in the first line on each of
the pages.
If you prefer to have more than one book you can either use
duplicate books in different dust jackets or you can extend your crib
to include possible choices from multiple books.
399
Spoon Fed, continued

A gimmick is also employed its a handle cut, at its narrowest
part, from a second spoon. Stick two layers of masking tape on the
back side of this gimmick to help prevent talking in your hands
when the gimmick and spoon are together in your hands.
The folded cloth napkin is in your left pants pocket, the handle
gimmick is in your left hand, and the bent spoon is concealed in
your right hand. As the volunteer approaches, you reach down on a
suitable table and reach for a spoon. Just lay the bent spoon on
the table and then immediately pick it up, concealing the twist
behind your fingers. This is done in an easy, off hand manner. Do
not make a move out of it.
If youre very nervous about concealing the spoon, you can keep
it in your right inside coat pocket. Just before your make your trek
into the audience find some justification to reach into that pocket,
get the spoon, and drop it into your right coat sleeve.
It doesnt hurt to look at the spoons bowl as if making sure it
hasn't been used. This is a subtle sell you are just picking up a
spoon and being picky, nothing else.
The volunteer comes up and stands on your right. In order to
shake hands with the volunteer, move the spoon to the left hand,
placing its handle under the gimmick handle. Shake hands and
make nice with your helper. Take your time.
Now move the spoon and gimmick into the pencil writing
position in your left hand, using the right forefinger and thumb to
keep the spoon and gimmick together and hide the end of the
gimmick. The end of your left forefinger and thumb cover the
bottom end of the gimmick.
After youve displayed the spoon, slide your right thumb and
forefinger down to grip the spoon and gimmick where the left
forefinger is resting. Move the spoon handle and gimmick
completely into your left hand, hiding the bent handle and the
gimmick. No "moves" here, just do it. For a fun bit o business, look
at your reflection in the spoons bowl and pat your hair into place.
Transfer the spoon into your right hand, leaving the gimmick
behind in your left hand. Extend your right arm and perform The
Miracle. As you go into the pocket to remove the napkin, ditch the
gimmick. You are now completely clean.
Always have the volunteer put his hands around your fist as
some folks do not do well standing with their eyes closed. While
concentrating they can lose balance, so you become their anchor for
stability; safety first.
When making all the movements with the spoon and gimmick,
do not look at them! Movements should be natural and casual. You
should look at ease.
The flash of light business is achieved purely by suggestion. It
may or may not happen. When it does, so much the better. A small
miracle either way.
400
Volume 5, Number 11
Max Gordon
Issue # 83
Credit Check

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
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World Wide Web
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per year
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Overseas (airmail):
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Credit card companies

assume everyone fibs just
a little when filling out
credit card applications,
begins the Mentalist.
Usually its a matter of
rounding your income up to
the next even thousand.
Only the egregious
expansions or omissions will
draw the red flag. I wonder how youd do if applying in person...
The mindreader asks several people who are seated in spots
which would allow them to easily come to the platform and says,
Pull any credit card, frequent flyer card, or auto club card, et
cetera, from your wallet. The type doesnt matter but try to select
one which youll remember if you ever see it again.
He hands each of them a small, opaque envelope and continues,
Slide your card into the envelope and tuck the flap inside. Then
bring your envelope to the platform, please.
Once all five participants are on stage the performer informs,
Ill sidestep the standard courtesy introductions for a moment
because I dont want to know your
names. Youll see why soon. Please
pass all the envelopes down to the
Maxs original idea
person on the end. Hell mix them a
included using
graphite on his
bit before he hands the lot to me.
thumb - this method
After the instructions have been
followed, the Mentalist continues, Ill is a bit more tidy.
take out one card at a time and ask
each of you one question. The person
who owns the card Im showing at the time should tell me a lie. All
the rest of will answer with the truth.
Tearing open an envelope to remove its credit card, the
performer says, This one is a petroleum company card. Then, of
each of the participants he asks, Do you by regular, unleaded, or
premium gasoline?
One person seemed to delay his answer, as if thinking of what
to say, explains the performer, Thats the behavior of someone
who is not truthful. This is your card, sir. He hands it to one of
the participants who acknowleges ownership and returns to his
seat. The procedure is repeated with three of the remaining four
cards.
Please turn to Credit Check, page 402
401
Credit Check, continued

Well, remarks the Mentalist to the remaining participant, not
much mystery remains as to whom this final card belongs so lets
try something different - please remove your card from the envelope
but cover it so no one can see the numbers. He tears off the end of
the envelope so the helper can remove his card.
Below is a template
Concentrate on the numbers, please. Ill try to read your mind.
to use in making
Of course the performer gets all the numbers perfectly.
your gimmicked
Plain old pseudo psychometry is involved here. Annemanns
envelopes. Fold
method of lightly pencilling a number one through five inside each along the thin lines.
envelope will mark the envelopes. When you tear the envelope
open to pull out the card you see the number and can recall which
participant was given that envelope.
You are able to learn the number of the final card (and reserve
that one for last) due to the nature of the
envelopes themselves. They are hand
manufactured from NCR paper - the sort
of chemically impregnated paper used
to make office forms which yield
multiple copies. Four of them
are made from NCRCB (Coated Back)
paper, making sure
the coated side is on
the outside of the
envelopes. The fifth
envelope is made
from the sister
material, NCR-CF
(Coated Front), also
with the coated side
on the outside.
When you have
the stack of
envelopes
containing the
credit cards in your
hands, press the
stack firmly and
slide the envelopes
around just a bit.
This will cause a
chemical impression
of the raised letters on
the card in the CF envelope to develop
on the outside of that envelope. Spot it
and save it for last.
402
Cassette Deck
Christopher
Caldwell called
upon his experience
as an FM DJ to
assemble this
routine.
Did you ever start humming a popular tune to yourself,

questions the Mentalist, and then notice that someone else is also
perhaps whistling the very same song? Suddenly, because youre
attuned to that music, you become aware that it has begun playing
on the radio in the background or on the Muzac system in the store
where youre shopping? Were you influenced by the music,
by each other, or did you somehow anticipate the next tune
on the tape?
The performer shows the audience a 30 to 40 of the
colorful inserts from cassette albums, explaining, The little
inserts in the cassette packages are called J-cards in the
trade. End on, the folded card looks like the letter J. I
went through my collection of tapes and selected some of the
more colorful J-cards. Then I trimmed off the stubs and
laminated them to protect against wear and tear. As you can
see, my music selection is rather ecclectic, running from ABBA
to Led Zepplin, with stops at the Beatles, Sinatra, Willie
Nelson, Pavoratti, Eminem, the Dixie Chicks, and even a rare
recording by the Duke himself, John Wayne. Right now, I can
almost hear one of these albums playing in my mind.
A nearby participant is handed about half of the J-cards and is
instructed, Please do as I do. First mix the cards a bit and then
hold all of them behind your back or under the table. The
performer demonstrates.
Extract only one album cover, the Mentalist continues, and
turn it face down and put it on the table, exactly as I have done. Ill
take your selection behind my back and insert it, reversed, among
the rest of those I still hold; you do the same - slide my selection
face down into the middle of your face up titles. Now bring out your
packet of cassette titles and place it next to mine. Both packets
are next to each other on the table.
The Mindreader places a portable tape player on the table next
to the packets, asking, What are the chances that our mini-Muzac
system here is about to play either of our selections? Lets see...
When the performers and participants packets are spread face
down, the two face up album covers are different Beach Boys
recordings. Same church, different pews, remarks the
mindreader. Not bad, considering that your Volume 1 Greatest
Hits album has one of the selections from my Endless Summer
selection. He turns on the cassette player and everyone recognizes
the Beach Boys hit, Little Deuce Coupe!
Please turn to Cassette Deck, Page 404
403

Its been a long couple of years but the presses are finally rolling
again and SYZYGY subscriptions are being fullfilled, as promised.
I put the word out to the community that these pages would be
SYZYGYs last hurrah as a printed newsletter and folks have
responded with a wonderful assortment of material. In addition, I
dug deep into the archives to pull out some nuggets which have
been long buried; the box was labelled: filed for later publication.
One of the difficulties was that I refuse to lower the standards
which have driven this newsletter from the start. Not once was
there a temptation simply to toss in any old stuff in order to finish
my committment to readers. Thus, its taken a while to assemble,
compile, edit, typeset, and print.
Not to excuse the lapse, however its difficult to comprehend how
debilitating clinical depression can be until its personally
experienced. When youre in that hole, everyday interactions tend
to get deferred or ignored. Ive been slowly wading through the
accumulated piles of correspondance which remained unresponded
for so long and discovered dozens of orders among the unopened
mail. If yours was one of those which vanished, I sincerely
apologize; your undeposited checks have been shredded.
All things considered, however, things are looking up.
Cassette Deck, continued
Using the album covers from either cassettes or CDs, trim them
all to a uniform size and then stick them to a same size piece of
white card stock with double side adhesive tape. This preserves the
alignment when they are laminated. In addition to a Best of... or
Greatest Hits... album cover, youll need an another album cover
from the same artist or group. These two cards start face up on the
bottom of your face up stack of album covers all of which are
different.
You can casually spread the handful of cards, pointing out
various artists and groups without going all the way through to the
final two. Hand your helper about half of them and proceed as
described, except that your overhand shuffle retains your two force
cards on the bottom of your face up packet. Your behind the back
random selection is actually one of the two force cards; bring it out
face down and place it on the table.
When you take his face down (and unknown) selection just move
it behind your back, turn it face up, and bury it in your packet.
Turn the bottom card (your second force card) face down, cut it into
the middle of your packet, and youre home free.
Naturally, youll have a cassette of your dual selection loaded
and cued in the tape player.
404
Volume 5, Number 12
Dave Arch
Issue # 84
Beat The Machine

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
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World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
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Much of what we assume is

psychic, begins the Mentalist,
can actually be an enhanced
mental skill - either the result of a
gift or by practice. One of those
savant abilities deals with rapid
calculation. Lets explore.
He asks if anyone in the
audience has a pocket calculator or
has a wrist watch or digital phone
with a calculating capability. Two
of those who raise their hands are
asked to join him on stage.
(Undoubtedly the performer also
has a pair of calculators on hand if
no one in the audience is so
equipped.)
On a dry-erase board or flip
chart, the mindreader writes each
participants name and then asks
of the first one, Please generate a random number between 100
and 1,000. It must have three
different digits.
The reply is, Four hundred
Dave Arch has a
seventy-eight, which is written
highly recommended
set of videotapes
below each name on the board.
Now its your turn, the Mentalist available, entitled
Tricks for Trainers
says to helper #2. What is your
three digit number?
Seven hundred forty-three, is
the response.
That number is written below the first of the two previously
written numbers.
Its only fair that I, too, contribute a selection. How about two
hundred fifty-six? That number is written below the second of the
two numbers. Each column now has a name at the top and two
three digit numbers below.
The Mentalist places an x next to the bottom number in each
column and then underscores the bottom number. As he picks up
his own pad and marking pen he challenges, Each of you will use
your calculators to multiply your two numbers and then write them
in the proper place. Ill try to beat both of you combined. Begin.
Please turn to Beat The Machine, page 408
405
Lee Earle
Capital City
Because I travel a great deal,
begins the Mentalist, I spend a lot of
hours waiting for airplanes. More often
than not, Ill pass the time in airport gift
shops, browsing their postcard racks. I
now have a postcard which represents the
capital city for every state in the union.
As the performer reaches into his inside
coat pocket he asks a nearby participant,
Please name any state capital...
Austin, Texas, is the reply.
...and any number between 1 and 50, he
concludes, withdrawing a packet of postcards bound with a paper
band from his coat.
Ok, replies the helper, seventeen.
The mindreader smiles, Please join me on the platform, and
bring your feet with you.
When the two are together, the performer strips the paper band
off the packet of postcards and hands them to the participant,
saying, You chose Austin and number seventeen. Please deal
those postcards one at a time onto my hand. Ill count them out
loud and youll look for Austin.
When they arrive at the seventeenth postcard it is of some city
other than the capital of Texas. Thats interesting, remarks the
Mentalist. Continue dealing the remaining cards.
As the last card, the forty-ninth, is dealt, it becomes clear that
not only is the packet one state short of a full union but the selected Anything which can
city, Austin, was not among them.
be accomplished
The performer continues, Its remarkable that you named the
with a deck of
only capital city missing from this selection of forty-nine others.
playing cards can be
But then I knew that. Would you take a look at the paper band
transfered to a stack
of postcards.
which was around the stack of cards? Youll need to remove the
piece of tape - the writing is on theinside of the band.
The participant tears the tape off the band and reads the
handwritten message: I needed a postcard to send home, so I took
one at random. It was in position 17!
Our method is borrowed from the Premonition effect. Two
decks of fifty-one postcards are used. One deck has two different
postcards from each of 24 state capitals, those beginning with the
letters A through H plus one more postcard from any of those
cities. Each pair (or in one case, triplet) of postcards should be
different views of the same city, not duplicates.
Please turn to Capital City, page 408
406
William Thomas
Hindsight
William Thomas
credits Jimmy Duff
for this impromptu
mind reading demo.
After the waitress clears the plates from the groups

meal at the diner, the Mentalist offers, I dont know
whether its mindreading or influence, but Ill be
delighted to show you something youll remember for
quite some time.
He places three objects on the table; a salt
shaker in the center of the table, a coffee cup close
to the edge, and a spoon close to the opposite edge.
Please stand next to the table where you easily can
see all three objects, the performer instructs a
participant.
The mindreader continues, Look them over, now
turn your back and simply think of one of the
objects. Almost instantly the performer removes
one object, places it under the table and asks the
participant to name which object he chose. After he
answers, he is asked to turn back around. The item
he named is missing from the table!
Naturally, his first impression is that the Mentalist simply
removed the chosen object after he named it, however fellow
witnesses inform him this is not what happened. The process is
repeated again and again. Each time, the performer shows an
uncannily accurate ability to remove the mentally identified object
and rarely makes a mistake.
As with all good effects, the secret is simple and direct. What
you do is not as important as what you say. Shades of NLP are at
work in this little miracle.
Select three totally different objects on the table. As per the
three examples cited above, you want maximum difference in
shape, size, composition, and color in the test items. Avoid using
both the salt and pepper shaker for instance, which usually look
pretty much the same in size, shape, and function.
Place the objects to get a maximum spread among them. Tell
the participant to stand and look over the three test items. Point
out each object and name each of them. You say, Without looking
at any of the test objects, mentally select one. Turn your back to
the objects and concentrate on your selection and only on the object
you selected. You will find that the helper will actually turn his
backside toward the chosen object! Its a slight difference, so look
carefully at the angle of his head and shoulders as well as his
buttocks and the small of his back. See which object is in a
perpendicular line with the flat of his back. This is usually the
giveaway indicator.
Please turn to Hindsight, page 408
407
Capital City, continued

State Capitals,Alphabetically
The second deck has two different postcards each from the
state capitals which begin with the letters J through T (26 cities
Jackson
- 52 postcards, so toss out one each of three cities.
Albany
Jefferson City
Both sets of postcards are in your inside jacket pocket Annapolis
Juneau
remember which is which. When a city is named, you bring out Atlanta
Lansing
the pack which doesnt include that city.
Augusta
Lincoln
The band around the postcards is prewritten with room left at Austin
the end for you to use a swami gimmick to enter the position
Baton Rouge Little Rock
Madison
number. Wrap it around the postcards and tape it in place with Bismark
Montgomery
the very end of the band folded as in the illustration. You can
Boise
Montpelier
inscribe the appropriate number as your helper approaches the
Boston
platform. Strip the band off the packet of postcards and hand the Carson City Nashville
postcards to your participant. All eyes will be on him so you can Charleston Oklahoma City
Olympia
easily tuck the tab end of the band into alignment with the rest ofCheyenne
Phoenix
the paper band and lay it on a nearby table to be ignored until
Columbia
Pierre
time for the revelation.
Columbus
Providence
Concord
Raleigh
Denver
Beat The Machine, continued
Des Moines Richmond
Sacramento
As the contestants race to do their calculations, the performer Dover
Frankfort Salem
calmly closes his eyes, thinks for a moment, then writes on a
pad, and then caps his pen while patiently waiting for the pair of Harrisburg Salt Lake City
Santa Fe
Hartford
helpers to finish. When he turns his pad around, there is only
Springfield
Helena
one number there. Sorry, he apologizes. I said the two of you
St. Paul
Honolulu
combined. Please add your totals together. The grand total
Indianapolis Talahassee
equals his calculation exactly!
Topeka
When you supply your random number, just mentally
Trenton
subtract the second number given (in this case, 743) from 999
(999-743=256). For the final total, the first half is one less than
the first three digit number (478-1=477) and the last three digits
will be that number subtracted from 999 (999-477=522). So your
rapid calculation will yield the final grand total, 477,522.
Hindsight, continued
Make your determination and select the test object you believe it
to be as per the above explanation. William usually puts the chosen
object under the table with his right hand and rests his left elbow
on the table, his forearm extended vertically in the old Native
American peace and greeting sign (HOW!). This also acts as
another logic disconnect and a "red herring" of sorts.
After you have performed this a few times and gain a little
confidence, you will be correct about ninety per cent of the time.
Remember, no guts, no glory. Life rewards only the brave. Above
all, don't be afraid that you will miss sometimes. You should miss
once in a while anyway, just like you were really psychic.
408
Volume 5, Number 13
Lee Earle
Issue # 85
Zennercycle

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
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World Wide Web
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Overseas (airmail):
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Researchers,
begins the
Mentalist, as he
spreads a pair of
Zenner decks in
parallel rows, go
to extreme lengths when testing
for psi abilities. Theyve even designed
sets of test symbols which are free of semantic
influence - hence the circle, cross, wavy lines,
square, and star targets.
The same assortment of symbols is in each set,
continues the performer, scooping up one deck and mixing it. One
is the target and the other is the control. He shuffles the second
spread and hands the pack to a participant.
Ill need your cooperation here - I simply dont have enough
hands. Both sets of symbols have been thoroughly randomized mixed - however simple math theory suggests that approximately
five symbols will be at identical positions in the respective piles.
For every card I deal face up into a pile on the table, you do
likewise. Well count how many matches there are.
As the participant follows in unison, the mindreader deals all
25 cards in his pack into a face up
pile on the table. Perhaps as few as
four, maybe as many as six matches
This concept was
will occur. The performer mixes both
first published in
Super Dupery and
decks again and says, Now well add
the human element. We know that in has been updated
just a tad.
the newly shuffled order there will be
several matches - we just dont know
where. So this time, when you deal a
card face up, Ill deal mine face down. Anytime you feel that the
dealt pair might match, say so and well place them aside and
continue through the set.
Several times during the synchronous dealing of cards the
participant says, Match. Each of these pairs is placed aside.
When the face down cards are revealed at the conclusion, all will
be matching pairs.
Youll use a unique circular stack which allows both decks to be
in a prearranged order yet appear to be thoroughly randomized.
However the standard 5-card cyclical stack wont stand a side by
side spread inspection.
Please turn to Zennercycle, page 410
409
Zennercycle, continued
Unlike a regular deck of 52 unique cards, an E.S.P. deck
consists of 25 cards, 5 of each symbol. Assuming you had stacked
the decks in some order, if you cut (for example) a star to the
bottom of one, youd need to cut one of the five stars to the bottom
of the matching deck - but which one?
The solution to the problem is to use atwo-card key when
stacking the 25 card sequence. Assuming that CIRCLE=1,
CROSS=2, WAVY LINES=3, SQUARE=4, & STAR=5, stack thus:
1,1,2,3,4,5,2,2,4,1,3,5,3,3,1,4,2,5,4,4,3,2,1,5,5.
The stack is built in sections, each beginning with a pair of
symbols and then incrementally skipping ahead by the value of the
starting cards to get each successive value. Remember, when you
are incrementing, the cycle 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 repeats ad infinitum. The
skipped values are shown insmall type.
1,
2,
3,
4,
5.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, (skip ahead one value to get the next card)

2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (skip ahead two values to get the next card)
3, 4,5, 1, 2,3, 4, 5,1, 2, 3,4, 5 (skip ahead three values to get the next card)
4, 5,1,2, 3, 4,5,1, 2, 3,4,5 1, 2,3,4 5, (skip ahead four values to get the next card)
(the only remaining card).
Note that there is only one place in the stack where one
particular symbol follows another. So if you spot a circle and a
cross (1 & 2) at the top of one pack, find the circle-cross combonot
(
the reverse cross-circle pair) in the other stacked pack and by
cutting that pair to the top, you have synchronized the stacks.
In performance you can give each deck a series of straight cuts
or even a Chanin shuffle as you set up the test.
As you and your participant simultaneously deal cards face up,
to demonstrate the random order of the packs and note how seldom
a pair of cards bears the same symbol, your real purpose is to learn
the first two cards of his packet.
Look for those two symbolsin the same order in the packet you
are dealing and mark their position by injogging the second card of
the pair. Since you are dealing your cards into a cluttered face up
pile, even an exaggerated injog will go unnoticed.
After youve made note of the number of matches, gather each
pile of cards and mix them again. His packet is given a series of
false cuts or shuffles so the noted pair remains at the top. When
you pick up your cards, cut them at the injog to place one of the
matching pair on the top and the other on the bottom. A double
undercut brings the bottom card to the topleaving both decks in
duplicate stacks; every pair of cards dealt will match.
Because you deal your cards face up into a pile (which doesnt
change their order) while your participant is dealing face down
(which reverses the order), at the end you can ribbon spread both
packs face up at the end (Lets check for more matches).
410
Paul Alberstat
Changing the Game
Paul has found a

combination of
methods which
defies reverseengineering.
Gambling, begins the Mentalist, is a method of transferring

wealth from the optimists to the mathemeticians. Some gamblers
are so addicted to the thrill of the game that theyll bet on
almost anything. Legend has it that two inveterate
gamblers once wagered thousands on which of
two sugar cubes a fly would alight on first.
My gambles are a bit lower on the financial
scale. Im willing to risk $1.41.
The performer tosses five coins - a
penny, nickle, dime, quarter, and dollar - on the table. As he
meticulously aligns them in a row in front of the participant, he
reveals, Im arranging these coins in a particular manner to
influence what you will later insist is a free choice. For example,
the dollar is both the highest value coin as well as the least common
in everyday pocket change. Perhaps that makes it special in your
mind. On the other hand - and on the other end - maybe the penny
draws your attention; its the lowest valued and the odd color. The
dime, here in the prominent middle position, is the smallest coin in
the row. Does that make it unusual enough to end up as your
selection? Ive placed the coins so that the nickle is the only head
among the tails. Could that be an attempt to attract your
attention? Youll notice theres nothing special about the quarter except that theres nothing special about it, which makes it unique
among the five.
After making a brief note on the blank side of one of his business
cards, the mindreader places it on the table writing side down and
continues, For whatever reason you choose, place your right index
finger on one coin...and your left index finger on another coin. Push
them across the table toward me. Again for your own reasons,
finger two more coins and pull them toward yourself. One coin
remains - the nickle. The Mentalist slides the business card under
the coin, sits back and smiles. If no one is overcome by curiosity, he
turns the card over. It reads, This card will find the nickle.
As those annoying infomercials say, But wait, theres more,
continues the performer, Here, pick up all the coins. Shake them
in your hands. Heads or tails?
The participant says, Heads.
Super!, says the performer as he makes another note on the
business card and sets it aside. Toss the coins onto the table and
eliminate any which show heads. Continue until youre down to one
coin. Looks like its the quarter. Read my note of influence.
Written on the card is, Its the quarter this time.
Please turn to Changing the Game, page 412
411
Changing the Game, continued

Enough with my coins, the Mentalist remarks, pocketing his
coins and picking up the card to make an additional note before
returning the pen to his pocket. Lets play with yours. Reach into
your pocket and pull out the coins youre carrying. Toss em on the
table. For whatever reason you wish, pull out as many as you like
and return them to your pocket. How much money remains?
A dollar and thirteen cents, is the reply.
The business card is tossed onto the pile of coins. The last
notation written is $1.13!
The final prediction is entered after the fact with a swami
gimmick, as the participant is gathering the reject coins and
returning them to his pocket you have ample opportunity to
mentally total the remainder and enter that amount on the
business card. Remember to take the pencil or pen off the table
after youve written your final note - people will remember.
A double-tailed quarter, available from most magic shops, allows
that coin to be forced as the second choice. If the participant says,
Tails your response is, Youve chosen tails so discard those which
show heads.
The first part is pure equivoque, but with a couple of subtle
twists. Arrange the coins in a row, increasing in value from the
penny to the dollar. If your subject is right handed, the row should
have the penny on his right. Reverse the order for a left handed
person. Turn all coins tails-up except the nickle. The second coin
from his dominant hand end is in the psychologically most common
position selected. So if his finger lands on it (about 80% of the
time), turn the card over immediately. Otherwise, he fingers a
second coin and pushes them toward you.
If the nickle is that second coin, you say, Youve chosen two
openly. Now Ill take them, mix them so you cannot know which
hand holds which coin and youll make a blind selection. Quickly,
which one do you wish to take...
He voices his selection and if its not the nickle, continue, ...to
discard among the others. Otherwise, state, Youve made an open
choice and a blind choice, both completely under your control. And
show the card.
Should the nickle not be among the first two pushed toward you,
say, And now youll select two for yourself. If the nickle remains
in the center of the table, slide the card under it saying, Youve
fairly eliminated four of the coins...
If the nickle is among his two, you continue, And finally,
eliminate the last coin by pushing it toward me. Having rejected
three and selected two, lets do it blindly, now. Continue as in the
previous description.
412
Volume 5, Number 14
Lee Earle
Issue # 86
Sense of Intuition

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
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Intuition,
begins the
Mentalist, is
often described
as the act or
faculty of
knowing or
sensing
without the use
of rational
processes.
Scientists call it insight; Quasimodo called it a hunch.
I asked my brother if he believed in intuition. He said he
didnt. I asked why. He replied he just had a gut feeling.
Indicating six letter size manila envelopes on an upstage table
the peformer informs his audience, Inside each of those envelopes
is a photograph especially selected to evoke a certain emotion. One
will induce a sense of fear, another generates anger. A third will
bring on a patriotic feeling, a fourth almost always produces
revulsion while the fifth and sixth are intended to elicit affection
and humor.
Five participants are selected from the audience and each is
instructed to choose one of the
envelopes as the mindreader faces
Finally, a routine
the audience so he cannot see their
which adds some
choices. One envelope remains
visual flavor and
unselected.
appeal to a
At this time each of you should
Mentalists program!
remove your envelopes photo and
look at it. Please do not view any
other photo than yours - that will
muddle the intended emotions. As you gaze at your photos place
yourself in the scene you view. Imagine that you are there,
experiencing the sensations of the moment. Then cover your photo
with the manila envelope. Dont slide it back inside, just cover it
so no one will have a clue as to who holds which one.
The Mentalist instructs, Will one of you please walk up and
stand directly behind me. Reach around with your right hand and
place your fingertips on my third eye, directly in the center of my
forehead. With your other hand please retain the photo and
envelope.
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Please turn to INTUITION, page 416
413
Richard Blackie
Colored Judgement!
Remember, asks the Mentalist, when
you were in preschool and first played with
crayons? It seemed almost magical that we
could combine the three basic additive colors red, yellow, and blue - to achieve any color of the
rainbow. Lets play together.
The performer places three business cards and
three small crayons or colored pencils - red,
yellow, and blue - on the table. With each of them
he shades in about two-thirds of the blank side of
one of the three cards.
Its your turn now, continues the mindreader.
Use any of the colors on any of the cards to shade the
other end, coloring in the remaining white area and creating an
overlap area with an entirely new hue.
Three times the participant adds more color to a card. Each
time the Mentalist remarks, Youve added red to the blue to create
purple. Interesting choice, or Most people wouldnt have selected
yellow to go with the red; orange just isnt that popular a color.
After all three cards have their shaded colors added, the
performer explains, The creation of these colors in this order was
entirely your choice. Still, I had a premonition of your actions.
Turn over each card and view the underside.
Your signature is on each one, inscribed using a crayon
matching the color created on the card by the participant!
Prepare four business cards. Three are signed in the
complimentary primary colors - orange, green, and purple and are
in that order from the top of your stack of four. The first one,
orange, you will shade with the red crayon; the second card, green,
is shaded with the yellow crayon; the card with the purple
signature is shaded with the blue crayon.
The participant can shade the red card with only the yellow or
blue crayon. If his selection is yellow-on-red to produce orange then
the remaining combinations must be blue-on-yellow to yield green
and red-on-blue forming purple. In this case, conclude as above.
If your helper chooses to add blue to the red shade, then the first
card will beget purple, the second card creates orange, and the third
one generates green. Thats when you turn over thefourth business
card which says, Although you could have chosen otherwise, you
will add blue to my red strokes to get purple, combine red with my
yellow shading to get orange, and mix yellow with my blue scribble
to get green!
414
While not quite a

closer, this routine
is a quick and
simple mental
miracle.
Larry Becker
Ouch!
Leave it to Larry
Becker to devise a
clever new
application for an
age-old utility
device.
Not long ago, begins the Mentalist, there was a politician

who was famous for saying, I feel your pain. Yeah, right. But lets
imagine that such an ability is possible. How might it manifest
itself? Which of you is willing to undergo a little pain to validate
this theory?
Getting no takers on his painful premise, the mindreader
continues, Perhaps we can use a stand-in for the target. Here,
this should do... Whereupon he places a letter size sheet of
paper on the table, spreads his right hand palm down on top,
and uses a pencil or pen to trace the outline of his hand.
This should do nicely. Now we need a source of pain,
he explains. A box of matches is placed in the center of the
outlined hand and a participant is instructed to take one
match, strike it alight and immediately blow it out. Then,
while the ember is still hot, he is to press it against any of
the drawn hands fingertips.
As instructed, he burns and extinguishes one match,
then touches it to the tip of the pencilled ring finger.
Ouch! The performer shakes his right hand as if it had
been stung and rubs the spot of pain with his other hand. That
hurts, he exclaims. And look at the result - I felt your pain.
On the Mentalists hand, exactly in the same position and on
the same finger where the hot match was touched to the drawn
hand, there is a small blister!
The blister is actually produced by forcibly pressing the pad of
one finger (or thumb) onto a hard surface in which there is a
blister-sized hole. A few seconds of pressure produces a raised
area in the skin which looks remarkably like a blister. Over the
years objects ranging from keys to holes in leather belts have been
suggested.
Larrys common sense solution is the ubiquitous thumbtip! It
allows you to let your other hand be casually seen as empty. Use a
hobbiests Exacto knife to cut a small, match head sized hole in the
pad area of a plastic thumbtip and a similar hole right in the
middle of the thumbnail area. Cut so the edges of the holes are
crisp and sharp, not rounded. Slip the thumbtip into your left
trousers pocket along with a packet of matches. After youve
drawn the hand outline, reach into your pocket to get the matches
and slide the thumbtip onto your left thumb.
To produce the blister on one of your right hand fingers, just
press the pad area of the thumbtip against that finger as you
pretend to react in pain. For a blister on your thumb youll need
to press against the hole in the thumbnail of the thumbtip.
415

It probably wont surprise anyone who knows us that that my
dear friend Larry Becker and I have formalized our
association into a creative and marketing partnership
called Mentalism Unlimited. Our goal is to produce
high quality, well routined, solid Mentalism props
and routines.
When you meet either of us in person, ask us
about how we developed our logo.
INTUITION, continued
One participant does as instructed and the performer says, I
detect a strong sense of fear when you mentally step into that
photo. Almost as if you want to run. As a child, were you ever
frightened by an aggressive dog?
Yes, replies the helper.
I thought as much, says the mindreader. Show the audience
your photograph. It is a close-up of a snarling, Doberman Pinscher
dog, all teeth and no nonsense!
The accurate revelations continue until each participants mood
and photo have been disclosed.
Keep your eye out for magazine and newspaper photos which
clearly generate basic emotions. A photo of cute kittens for
affection or one of your countrys flag for patriotism for example.
Enlarge each photo to fill a standard page, laminated front and
back in clear plastic (found in office supply stores).
Trim an oval thumb cut in the top edge of each envelopes back
panel so your participants will grip the photos at the top center.
Thats where each photo is treated on the rear side with a light
stroke from a differently scented mens deodorant! That aroma will
be transferred to each participants fingers as the photos are
removed from the envelopes. A strip of clear tape on the inside of
the front panel, top center, will protect the paper from any stain or
bleed through of the deodorant.
When your helpers reach around to place fingertips on your
forehead you can easily help them into the proper position and
maneuver their hands past your nose. Because each one touches
you and you hold their hands in return, any residual scent will be
attributed to an over-use of aftershave or cologne on your part.
Describe your insights in a way which encourages visualization
and taps into emotions. For example, with the disgusting photo
you can say, I can sense a tenseness in your touch. Your thoughts
seem drawn back to this photo like a moth to flame, even though
everything about it feels unpleasant. Be colorful and flamboyant
in your language. Remember, anything you can do to jumpstart
their imaginations will redound to your benefit.
416
Scents of Intuition
Volume 5, Number 15
Barry Richardson
Issue # 87
Minding the Mint

Copyright1999
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Anyone who drives on

toll roads, informs the
Mentalist, will
accumulate a
quantity of coins and
currency on a daily
basis the result of
change returned after
paying the toll with large
denomination bills.
Displaying a cigar box, the performer continues, Ill toss the
change into a container like this and later sort out the small coins nickles, pennies, and dimes - keeping the bills and quarters for
future toll booths. He raises the lid, allowing the audience to see
the coins and paper money, and then closes the box before handing
it to a front row participant.
Please reach inside the box and remove one of those bills. It
doesnt matter which one you take but it is important that, for
now, no one should know the value of the bill you hold. Just
scrunch it into a ball and conceal it in your hand. When youve
done that, hand the box to a stranger among the audience.
When the second participant has
the box, the instructions are
repeated. After a third helper has
Barry offers credit to
removed and concealed a bill the
Stuart James for the
mindreader instructs, Please bring
inspiration behind
the box to the platform. The others
this presentation.
who hold my money will join you.
Once all three are on stage the
performer takes the cigar box and
allows each person to choose an empty tin box of the sort in which
breath lozenges are packaged. Raising one of them to his nose, the
Mentalist sniffs, This is the ideal place for new money - you can
even smell the mint.
Following the audiences groan, the performer walks to the
front of the platform, his back clearly toward the participants, and
continues, While youre out of my sight, each of you will place your
bill inside the candy tin you hold. As they are doing this, he
instructs, Each of you in turn should now go to the cigar box,
remove a small number of coins, and put them in your tin with the
currency. Again, dont allow anyone to see how many coins you
take.
Please turn to Mint, page 420
417
Banachek
It Takes Balls
Im sure most of you have heard of the term,
blackballed, reminds the Mentalist, showing five
pingpong balls, one of which is painted black. In
secret voting procedures, members of exclusive clubs
will conceal either a white ball for Yes or a black ball
for No in their hands. As a container is passed
among them each person deposits the ball inside
without allowing anyone else to see the color. At the
end of the vote, a single black ball defeats the
proposition and no one knows who cast that secret vote.
The balls are dropped into a small cloth bag which is handed to
a nearby participant. The performer states, Reach inside and take
one of the balls, please. Keep it concealed in your hand as you
remove it from the bag. Following compliance the bag is handed to
each of four more helpers until all the balls have been removed.
Students pledging for a sorority or fraternity have only their
egos at risk, reminds the mindreader. I plan to up the ante.
He picks up a fan of five envelopes from a nearby table. Four of
them have pieces of paper extending from their openings. After
they are given to another front row participant the Mentalist asks,
Please seal the slips within the envelopes. When youre done, add
this to the fifth envelope and seal it inside, too. Its the check for my
fee this evening. Shuffle the envelopes and give them to me.
Pulling a pencil from his pocket the performer writes the
numbers 1 through 5 on the envelope corners. Then he addresses
the first of the five who hold the pingpong balls, My livelihood is in
your hands. Literally. Which numbered envelope will you take?
He repeats with the remaining four helpers and remarks, Now
the fun begins. If you hold a white ball, shread your envelope and
its contents; if you have the black ball, please give your envelope to
me. One participant returns his envelope as the others rip theirs
into tiny pieces. Balls and shreds go neatly into the cloth bag.
The Mentalist opens the remaining envelope and looks inside.
Breathing a sigh of relief, he removes his paycheck and asks the
audience to applaud his participants for their help.
Multiple methods will confound the wise ones. Your cloth bag is
made of crepe or another soft and opaque material. Color one ball
with matte black spray paint. When you hand the bag to each
subsequent participant to remove one ball you gently massage the
contents as if mixing them. The rough surface on the black ball is
easily detected by touch so youll know when its been taken.
Please turn to Balls, page 420
418
Banachek admits
that a major
influence for this
routine came from
Basil Horowitz.
Mint, continued
In illustration, the Mentalist opens the cigar box and grabs a
handful of coins allowing a few of them to trickle back into the box
which is then placed on a small side table or the seat of a chair.
After complying, each participant holds a tin box with an
unknown amount currency and coins. As well, the number of coins
remaining in the cigar box is a mystery.
With no further discussion and no questions asked, the
mindreader reveals the amount of money remaining in the cigar
box and the total of coins and currency in each persons tin box!
After the performer verifies his accuracy with each participant,
he exchanges each persons tin and money for a similar brand new
package of mints as he escorts them from the platform.
Tin #1
Two diabolic principles make for one masterly routine.
IMPORTANT!
When the participants join you on the platform with
Please follow these instructions:
their hidden bills you give each of them an empty Altoids
tin. Each is a different color so that you can easily identify
If you have the $1 bill, take 1 coin; it later as #1, #2, and #3. Ask each participant to select the
if you have the $5 bill, take 2 coins; tin with a flavor he or she prefers. By being so open about
if you have the $10 bill, take 4 coins. selecting flavors, no importance is attached to the tins.
There is a printed label stuck to the inside bottom of
Thank you.
each tin, as illustrated, which turns your participants into
unknowing confederates. Since you have no clue as to
which person holds which bill, and because you have
Tin #2
allowed each participant to select his tin, reverse
IMPORTANT!
engineering of your method is impossible, as youll see.
The number of coins remaining in the cigar box after
your helpers have removed theirs lets you easily determine
If you have the $1 bill, take 2 coins; which person has what amount of money.
if you have the $5 bill, take 4 coins;
The cigar box originally contains 42 quarters plus a one
if you have the $10 bill, take 8 coins. dollar bill, a five dollar bill, and a ten dollar bill. When you
ask them to take ...a small number of coins... you
Thank you.
illustrate by taking some yourself - perfect double-speak,
since your audience assumes each person can select a
random number of coins and it appears that you have
Tin #3
grabbed a random number as well.
IMPORTANT!
Actually, you must retain exactly 19 coins. A pencil
mark near a corner on the inside edge of the box serves as
a measure for the those 19 quarters. Just tilt the box
If you have the $1 bill, take 3 coins; toward that corner as you reach inside and encourage the
if you have the $5 bill, take 6 coins; coins to slide into a stack for your measurement. After
if you have the $10 bill, take 12 coins. youve grasped your stack of coins take a few more in your
fingertips and allow them to dribble back into the box.
Thank you.
You use the technique from The Trick That Fooled
Einstein to learn how many coins remain after your
participants have removed theirs which will, in turn, provide all
you need to know for your further revelations.
Please turn to Mint, page 420
419
Balls, continued
The last, empty, envelope is marked for your eyes only using a
nail nick, a pencil dot, or any other method with which you are
comfortable. Just so you know which envelope holds your check
when all five are returned to you.
You only pretend to write the numbers 1-5 on the envelope
corners. As each ball holder asks for an envelope by number you
look at the packet of envelopes, divide them in the middle, and cut
one to the top (as if it really mattered). Thats when you use your
trusty swami gimmick (nail writer) to inscribe the requested digit
onto an appropriate envelope - making sure the black ball
participant gets your marked paycheck envelope.
Mint, continued
Hand the cigar box with the remaining coins to a front-row
participant as you make the following statements:
I hold as many coins as those remaining in the box;
Plus three more, and;
Enough left over to bring the total in the box to $4.00.
Ask the person with the box to take out the coins and count
them back into the box in a loud voice so everyone can hear.
Lets assume there are eight coins in the box (you hold 19).
Have your audience helper hold out his hand as you count eight
coins (the first prediction) into his palm. Then count three more
(the second prediction). Next, you say, Eight quarters in the box
total $2.00. Lets see if my third prediction is correct.
You count each remaining coin you hold into the box, with a
running total, That makes $2.25, 2.50, 2.75, 3.00, 3.25, 3.50, 3.75,
and my last coin brings the total to four dollars! Your third
prediction is verified. These predictions work regardless of the
number of coins remaining.
Now you have what you need to determine the totals and
denominations of the money each participant holds. The table at
the right illustrates how the number of remaining coins provides
your clue. You can make up a crib sheet but its not necessary if
youll remember that for each pair of coin counts (6, 7; 8, 10; and 11,
12) the $10 bill will be in tins 3, 2, and 1 respectively.
When the coin count is the lower of the coin count pair, the $1
bill will be in the lowest of the two remaining tin numbers; if the
coin count is the greater of the coin count pair, the $1 bill will be in
the larger of the two remaining tin numbers.
Determining the total of the money within each tin is childs
play. The tin with the $1 bill has the
same number of coins as your
secret tin number; the tin holding the $5 bill has
double the number
of coins as its identity number; the tin containing the $10 bill has
four times the number of coins as your covert container number.
It is best to reveal the numbers of coins before revealing who has
which note, even though you work it the other way around.
420
6
7
8
10
11
12
$1
$5
$10
1
2
1
3
2
3
2
1
3
1
3
2
3
3
2
2
1
1
Volume 5, Number 16
John Bowden
Issue # 88
Cast in Stone

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
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Runes, begins the

Mentalist as he empties a
pouch of more than two
dozen oblong objects onto
the table, are the angular
characters which formed
ancient Germanic
alphabets. Nordic
necromancers carved
these symbols onto small
stones and attributed
magical powers to certain
pairs of those markings.
Modern soothsayers use
similar stones for fortune telling.
During his remarks the performer turns all of the rune stones
face down and then makes a notation on his business card before
dropping it near the empty pouch, suggesting, Lets see if you
have the blood of Viking mystics coursing through your veins. The
runes are cast by holding them in your cupped hands, shaking
them like dice, then slapping them to the table. Those which come
to rest with their symbols hidden are
set aside; the remaining stones are
recast. This is repeated until only
John. a corporate
one remains. It will be paired with and pub entertainer
another that you select now. Choose.
in Kerry, Ireland,
The participant points to one face
has had very good
down stone; the mindreader slides it reactions to this one.
onto the card. This is your chosen
stone. Now find your casting stone,
he instructs, assisting his helper to gather the runes for casting.
Again and again the participant casts the stones; each time the
face down stones are moved aside. When the helper holds just
three or four stones the Mentalist grins and reminds, If they all
land face down, you must start over.
That would be too bad, He says, picking up both the chosen
stone and the card, privately comparing them to one another and
putting them back as they were. Youre off to a great start.
When the casting is complete and only one stone remains face
up the mindreader gestures for the participant to take the chosen
stone and turn it symbol side up next to the cast stone.
Overseas (airmail):
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Please turn to Stone, page 422
421
Stone, continued
You may consider changing your name to Olaf the Omniscient,
he remarks. Look at my notation.
The business card is turned over. Written there are the words,
The most magical combination of symbols is: followed by two runic
characters - matching exactly the two face up stones!
All but two of the stones start off in the pouch. The first is a
double faced rune, with the same symbol carved on both sides. The
other is any of the remaining, regular rune stones. As you bring out
the bag, both of these force stones are deposited in your lap. After
you empty the pouchs contents onto the table, place the pouch
about a hands span from the edge of the table in line with your
right shoulder. When you drop the card on the table, place it next
to the bag, directly in front of you and about four inches from the
tables edge. The chosen stone will be placed on top of it later.
The double facer is added to the runes as you assist in gathering
them for the first or second casting. Dont look into your lap when
you are getting it ready you can easily feel the doubly carved
rune with your fingertips.
Make your own set of
Switching in the chosen stone borrows from a gamblers card
rune stones using
move. The chosen stone is positioned against the edge of the table
childrens
modeling
with the symbol facing you. It is held there with your right thumb
compound, baking
as your hand rests on the edge of the table.
them
in the oven to
When you make your remark about the possibility of starting
harden.
over, two things happen. First, you have reinforced the idea that
all the remaining stones could land face down (we know better) and
second, the participants mind is perfectly misdirected, focused on
the possibility of repeating the lengthy procedure.
As you deliver the ...too bad... line, draw the face
down stone off the card with the pads of your extended
right fingers. Lift the card with your left hand, shading
the action as you continue to drag the face down tile
toward you. It drops over the table edge and into your
lap as your right thumb pulls the hidden tile into your
hand in sort of a sweeping motion.
Your audience will follow your eyes as you look first at
the drawing on the business card, then at the symbol on
the rune stone. Thats when you finish your statement
with, ...Youre off to a great start.
Place both back on the table, symbol sides down, with the stone
atop the card as before.
Why slap the stones down? Because if you tossed them like
dice the double symbol stone might tumble and reveal your
secret.
While its not as elegant, you can have the participant
openly select a third rune, the knowing rune. A swami
gimmick easily adds that design to the other two on the
card.
422
Erik Anderson
Graphis Acidus
Erik is a working
pro in the Midwest,
doing Mentalism as
well as hypnosis.
Most of us have wondered, offers the Mentalist, whether

there is indeed any basis to graphology handwriting analysis.
Ive learned just enough to be dangerous and Im anxious to
determine how accruate it might be. Ive had some materials
printed for that purpose.
A small, 3 x 5 inch, preprinted index card and a pen are laid in
front of the participant with the request, Simply follow the
instructions. As the participant is writing, the performer reads
aloud those instructions from another card, for everyones benefit.
Once the helper has completed inscribing his handwriting
sample and signature, he quarter-folds the card.
Taking the folded card in hand, the mindreader points to the
signature on the outside and remarks, Our signature is a mirror
of our public persona and how we wish others to regard us.
He goes on to deliver an amazingly accurate assessment of the
participants personality and even directly addresses one of his
unspoken questions or concerns!
The card (a master layout is on the following page) performs the
triple task of justifying your procedure, providing patter cues, and
allowing for a variation of the Al Mann Acidus billet move. Even
though the card has an offset dotted line indicating where to fold
the card, its a wise move to pre-crease the card along that line to
ensure the first fold develops the necessary overlap.
Position the folded card (the billet) with the signature on top
and aligned so you can read it. Your hands rest on the table as you
hold the left end of the billet with the fingertips of your left hand
as you begin to describe characteristics of the signature. To show
the audience the details to which you are referring, you transfer
the billet to your right hand. Your right thumb applies upward
pressure on the right edges of the folded billet while your index
finger lies against the front, folded edge. Because of the purposely
created overlap, that upward pressure will lift three of the four
layers. Move your thumb into that space above the bottom-most
layer, applying pressure against your index and middle fingers.
Voila! The participants question is now ready for your peek as you
point with your left index finger at the signature facing him. Your
hands, positioned fairly close together, shade any angle problems.
Then you realize that the signature is upside down for your
audience. Regrip and rotate the billet removing your thumb
from the fold and continue with your presentation with full
knowledge of your participants question.
It will be helpful to have a modicum of knowledge regarding
handwriting analysis - your local bookstore will have several titles
available which will provide what you need.
423
Handwriting Sample:
Then fold the card in half (with the writing

sample inside) and continue with Step 2.
Step 1 First, think of a question of real

importance to you and write it in the area
below. By focusing on this question (and
not your handwriting) you are much more
likely to provide a representative
graphology sample that will reflect the
real you. Use as much space as you need.
Handwriting Sample:
Then fold the card in half (with the writing

sample inside) and continue with Step 2.
After you've finished your 'signature analysis' and have revealed the participant's question, use the 'tic sheet' side of
card to check off some personal attributes evident in your participant's signature and handwriting. Unfold it and la
it flat on the table as you make your marks and comments.
Graphology reveals:
Physical & Material Drives
Emotional Characteristics
Intellectual Style & Personality
Social Behavior
It's called "brainwriting" by

graphology experts.
Handwriting is a unique and
dependable window into the
personality.
Handwriting Analysis unveils

the personality behind the pen.
It is used by corporations, law
enforcement, U.S. Government
agencies and others.
Graphology reveals:
Physical & Material Drives
Emotional Characteristics
Intellectual Style & Personality
Social Behavior
It's called "brainwriting" by

graphology experts.
Handwriting is a unique and
dependable window into the
personality.
Step 1 First, think of a question of real

importance to you and write it in the area
below. By focusing on this question (and
not your handwriting) you are much more
likely to provide a representative
graphology sample that will reflect the
real you. Use as much space as you need.
Step 2 Print your name on the line below.
Step 3 Sign your name, as if you were

giving your autograph, in the box below.
Step 4 Fold the card in half again with

your signature on the outside.
Signature
Step 2 Print your name on the line below.
Step 3 Sign your name, as if you were

giving your autograph, in the box below.
Step 4 Fold the card in half again with

your signature on the outside.
Signature
Handwriting Analysis unveils

the personality behind the pen.
It is used by corporations, law
enforcement, U.S. Government
agencies and others.
BASELINE
Positive, active, energetic
Rising
Cynical, depressed, withdrawn
Falling
Moody, expressive
Erratic
Rigid, vulnerable
Ruler
Surrender, unsure
Convex
Controlled, disciplined
Straight
SLANT
Independent, evasive, private
Far Left
Withdrawn, inhibited, cool
Left
Rational, cautious, diplomatic
Straight
Expressive, emotional, friendly
Right
Impulsive, volatile, romantic
Far Right
ZONES
Creative, imaginative, spiritual
Upper
Egotistical, impatient
Middle
Acquisitive, physical, driven
Lower
Reasonable, open, sensible
Balanced
SIGNATURE
Pride, ego, flamboyant
Big Caps
Self confidence, arrogance
Underline
Insecure, self doubt
Large
Private, uncommunicative
Illegible
BASELINE
Positive, active, energetic
Rising
Cynical, depressed, withdrawn
Falling
Moody, expressive
Erratic
Rigid, vulnerable
Ruler
Surrender, unsure
Convex
Controlled, disciplined
Straight
SLANT
Independent, evasive, private
Far Left
Withdrawn, inhibited, cool
Left
Rational, cautious, diplomatic
Straight
Expressive, emotional, friendly
Right
Impulsive, volatile, romantic
Far Right
ZONES
Creative, imaginative, spiritual
Upper
Egotistical, impatient
Middle
Acquisitive, physical, driven
Lower
Reasonable, open, sensible
Balanced
SIGNATURE
Pride, ego, flamboyant
Big Caps
Self confidence, arrogance
Underline
Insecure, self doubt
Large
Private, uncommunicative
Illegible
Note: This template should be printed on both sides of index card stock then cut at the crop marks so you get four
cards per sheet. The front side of each will have the handwriting sample space and the back side of each will have
the signature box. There is a blank area below the signature box to imprint your name and contact information.
424
Volume 5, Number 17
Morley Budden
Issue # 89
Post-It Parapsychology

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Twins often have

the ability to perceive
one anothers
thoughts, begins the
Mentalist. Some
claim a genetic basis
while others insist
that environmental
factors and
familiarity are
behind it. When
the thoughts are
simple enough,
even strangers can
accomplish miracles.
Two volunteers are obtained from different parts of the
audience to ensure that they will not know one another. The
performer informs, One of you will be the transmitter and the
other will be the receiver for our little experiment. After
positioning them on opposite sides of the platform, he shows them
a pair of identical small, vinyl covered notpad folios. When they
are opened, each is seen to have a different yellow Post-It sticky
note attached to the inside front
cover. He reads each aloud, allowing
the participants silently to follow
A successful dealer
along, over his shoulder:
in England, Morley
The Receiver instructions say,
credits Daryl Bem
When I snap my fingers, draw the
for igniting the
creativity.
first image that pops into your mind.
Draw quickly and make your
drawing as large as possible. Thanks
for helping. while the Transmitter instructions read, When I snap
my fingers, please draw a pair of simple shapes. Make your
drawing as large as possible. Concentrate only on what you have
drawn. Thanks for helping..
Continuing his instructions, the performer demonstrates with
one pad, After youve recorded your impressions, tear the sheet of
paper from the pad, fold it into a small packet, and close your
folder. Clear? Lets begin!
The two folders are shuffled so that no one can know which of
the pair is sending and which is receiving, then each participant
gets a large marking pen and one of the folders.
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
Please turn to Post-It, page 428
425
Lee Earle
Go For The Jugular

Eastern mystics, informs the Mentalist, are known
by their ability to control their respiration and pulse.
Theyve allowed themselves to be buried alive for days or
weeks as a demonstration of this amazing ability.
Western medicine attributes self-hypnosis as the
controlling factor.
Seating himself in a chair in the center of the room,
the performer continues, Holding ones breath is simple;
regulating ones heartbeat is something else
entirely. He points to a nearby partcipant, offers
his wrist, and asks, Will you stand next to me and
feel my pulse?
After helping her find his wrist pulse he asks, Please
indicate with your other hand, as if you were keeping time to
music, the beats of my heart. Please dont be alarmed if it slows
down.
The participant silently marks the beats of the mindreaders
pulse, the interval between them growing longer and longer until
she is no longer indicating a pulse at all! Then she begins marking
an increasing rhythm until once again his heart is beating at a
normal rate.
The Mentalist offers, Its been suggested that controlling ones
pulse is simply a matter of thinking the blood flow away from an
extremity - such as an arm or a leg - which is harmless for a short
term. The same cant be said for ones head, however. Without a
constant flow of blood the brain ceases to function. Still, a short
halt isnt terribly risky. Lets find my jugular pulse and try.
This technique goes
Once again the participants fingers are guided to locate the
well beyond the old
mindreaders pulse, this time beneath his jaw on the side of his
pulse stopping stunt.
neck. Mark my heartbeats again, he requests. This will be
Try it!
interesting.
The participants eyes go wide as the performers jugular pulse
gets slower, and slower, and stops! A few seconds later she detects
a strengthening pulse once more and breathes a sigh of relief.
A rubber ball or wadded up handkerchief in your armpit is the
gaff for controlling your radial (wrist) pulse. By squeezing your
arm against your body the artery carrying blood to your arm is
pinched, stopping the pulse in that arm.
To stop your jugular pulse you must supply false
a
pulse for
your helper to find and measure. Pressing your tongue lightly
against your teeth in a metronomic rhythm alternately tightens
and loosens a small muscle beneath your jaw, perfectly simulating
an arterial pulse and entirely under your control.
426
Terry Godfrey
Party Partners
Terry has been a

friend for over 20
years and its a
delight to include an
item from this clever
performer.
Its well known, states the Mentalist, that the longer a couple
is married the more they begin to anticipate each others thoughts.
There is some debate whether its a matter of knowing the person
better or proof of a psychic link. Lets find out tonight.
The party hostess and her husband are asked to come forward.
Addressing the hostess and handing her drawing materials, the
mindreader instructs, Your husband will soon form an image in
his mind. Even now, he is not aware of the nature of that image
but I assure you, it will be determined by chance. Peer into the
near future for us, then use this pad and pen to sketch your
impression. Dont allow anyone to see what you draw.
Spreading a deck of cards face up on the table, the performer
turns to the husband and says, You will picture an image of one of
these in your mind. But lets ensure its selected at random. He
gathers the deck, mixes it, and places it face down on the table.
Cut the deck in half, instructs the Mentalist, and set aside
either half. Do it again. And again. Once more. Let's see how
many cards remain...only eight. Ill introduce a little more
randomness for you. Point to any two of the cards and Ill pull one
aside, then well repeat with me pointing to two and you discarding
one. At the end, a single card remains.
Think of that card, commands the Mentalist. He turns to the
hostess and asks, Have you received an image and sketched it?
She shows her drawing to the audience - its the same card her
husband has been visualizing! And both have no clue how!
Pull the hostess aside early in the evening before everything
starts. Tell her that her husband will be asked to concentrate on
any playing card at random. She is to peer into the future as if she
can predict his choice. You have a feeling it won't be an Ace or a
Queen, though. Perhaps she should even write it down on this
little paper, refolded so the writing is on the inside.
Can you remember his choice without referring to your note?,
you ask. OK, I'll depend on your memory alone. A simple center
tear enables you to learn her vision so you can remove that card
from the deck and covertly mark it. When the deck has been
multiply halved down to fewer than ten or so cards, secretly add it
as you count the remaining cards.
The P.A.T.E.O. (Pick Any Two, Eliminate One) force ensures
hubby ends up with the proper card. If an odd number of cards
remain, you begin by pointing to two. Should the remaining cards
be an even number, let him start by indicating two cards. You
simply never touch or eliminate the marked force card.
427
Post-It, continued
The mindreader goes on, Open your folders, read your tasking,
and confirm that you are ready to begin. Dont reveal the role
which chance has assigned to you. Ready?
After a short pause the Mentalist snaps his fingers and the two
participants put pens to paper. Remove and fold your drawings
several times, advises the performer, being careful not to reveal
what youve sketched.
After the drawings are safely folded, the mindreader takes back
To play for laughs,
pens and folders, placing them aside as the helpers are brought
build telepathy
together, center stage. The Mentalist takes the folded drawings and
helmets for your
asks the audience, Please give these two volunteers a round of
volunteers,
using
applause as they return to their seats.
Holding one folded drawing in each hand, the mindreader again kitchen utensils and
other silly stuff.
addresses the audience, Your applause was quite generous for
something which could end up as a total failure. I assume if they
are successful, youll reward them with a standing ovation?
The two drawings are opened and displayed. They are identical!
There are three Post-It notes, written with a fine point pen or
pencil to make them illegible at a short distance. Two of them have
identical transmitter text and are stuck in place on the inside
covers of the folders. The remaining Post-It note bears the receiver
text. It is placed directly on top of one of the first two notes,
perfectly aligned so the two appear as one. When you open this
folder, your thumb rests on the note(s) to avoid any flutter as you
show it to the audience and participants. With the inside of the
folder visible only to you, remove the top Post-It and close the
folder. Walk over to one participant and begin reading the note as
you allow him to silently read along. As you continue reading
aloud, walk over to the other participant so he, too, can read along
as you finish the text. Then open the folder from which it came
being careful not to flash the interior stick the note inside
directly on the top sheet of the pad, and close the folder.
Open the other folder, take out the sticky note, and repeat the
procedure, with one exception. Keep the words square inside a
circle covered with your thumb. Begin reading the note aloud as
one participant silently follows along. When you say ...snap my
fingers... start your walk over to the second participant as you
continue to read. Thats when you verbally substitute ...a pair of
simple shapes... for ...a square inside a circle... By the time you
reach the second helper, youre reading the subsequent text, which
he verifies. Return the sticky note to the folders inside cover.
Because both participants will be transmitters, each will think
that you didnt read the specific shapes to draw because you
obviously wanted to keep the receiver in the dark.
When you demonstrate how to remove and fold the sheet of
paper, use the folder in which you stuck the extra Post-It to the top
sheet of the pad, cleanly getting rid of the extra sticky note.
428
Volume 5, Number 18
John Riggs
Issue # 90
Post-Prognostication

Copyright1999
SYZYGY
2901 N. 55th Avenue
Telephone:
623 / 247-7323 voice
623 / 247-4665 fax & data
E-Mail:
LeeE7@aol.com
World Wide Web
Subscription rates:
$38.00 per year
Canada:
per year
US$48.00
Overseas (airmail):
US$55.00 per year
One of the most

impressive things any
psychic can do, the
Mentalist asserts, is to
predict tomorrows
headlines. This is a
certain and undeniable
demonstration of the
ability to push aside
the curtains of time
and peer if ever so
briefly into the
future.
I wish that I
could do that!
However, I would
like to tell you that
I am a member of
the American
Association of
Procrastinating
Prognosticators! We predict events
after they happen! Actually,we are
doing fairly well. Our accuracy rate is
John Riggs was
up to 85%.
SYZYGYs very first
Picking up a stack of a dozen or
contributor. Its
more letter-size panels, the
appropriate that he
performer continues (with his tongue
will be the last for
firmly in his cheek), These are
a while, at least.
photocopies of headlines that I have
successfully predicted after they
happened. I wanted to use the most reliable media possible, so I
selected the one newspaper courageous enough to print the naked,
unvarnished truth! He turns the stack of panels to face the
audience and begins showing reproductions of the front pages of
the Weekly World news, one of those horrendously outrageous
tabloids found at supermarket checkout stands.
As each successive headline is revealed, the mindreader
comments and then moves the panel to the back of the stack. Look
at some of these stories! Marilyn Monroe Was Russian Spy! Well,
Biggest Baby! They obviously
Duh! Everyone knew that! Worlds
never saw me when Im sick! Alien
Backs Perot! I always thought

he was one of them! We predicted them all!
Please turn to Tabloid, page 430
429
Tabloid, continued
Turning the face of the collection of panels toward himself, the
Mentalist continues to transfer one panel after another from the
face of the stack to the rear. Indicating one audience participant,
he asks, Anytime you wish, just say stop.
Once a selection is made the remaining panels are set aside.
Sir, begins the performer, under your seat. you will find an
envelope. Please retrieve it, remove what you find inside, and open
it so all can see. He unfolds a giant (4x) reproduction of the front
page with the headlineHillary
Clinton Adopts Allen Twins. The

mindreader turns around the panel he holds - its an exact match!
Buy a sufficient quantity of tabloids over a few weeks time and
take them to a copy shop to have reduced photocopies of the front
page made on a good quality cover or card stock. If you laminate
them, use a matte (non-reflective) lamination. Along with your
selection of different headlines you will have five copies made of
your force headline. These are placed in alternate positions from
the top down of your face-down stack of headlines. In other words,
the top face down panel is a duplicate, the next one is ordinary, the
third one is a dupe, the fourth one is ordinary, etc. Put the funniest
five headlines on the bottom of the stack.
Hold the stack so the audience cannot see the faces and deliver
your opening remarks. When you get to the point where you say
...the most reliable media possible... turn the stack around to
show the first headline on the face of the stack you hold.
After you read each headline duck it to the back of the stack.
When you get to within one or two headlines of your force stack,
turn the stack around so the audience cannot see the headlines and
continue ducking them from the face of the stack to the back as you
request the participant to say stop. Time this so you have the first
force page facing you as you duck the headline in your hand.
The facing page and
When you are stopped, if the panel in your hand is one of the
the two remaining
force predictions, just set the remaining stack aside, casually
Quarterly
flashing the face panel a non-force headline.
Supplements
If the panel is one of the alternate front pages, continue your
contain artwork for
motion and place it on the back of the stack. Thats when look at
nine tabloid panels.
the one on the face of the stack, then to your participant, then back
to the headline facing you, as if you are silently saying, I cant
believe he stopped me on this one.
Turn the stack of panels to face the audience so they can view
the chosen headline. Remove it from the stack and place the
remainder aside the next headline is seen as different. Its not
necessary to point this out. These headlines are so outrageous they
scream for attention and everyone will notice.
This routine plays far better than the simple method used to
accomplish it. A word to the wise - some people like to come up and
read the remaining headlines after the show, so be sure to put your
props securely out of sight.
430
Hiatus
This issue marks the end of Volume Five and the beginning of
an indeterminate suspension in SYZYGYs publication. There are
multiple reasons for this interruption, not the least of which is a
need to rekindle my passion for all of this.
Another consideration is that I will be exploring how to deliver
this newsletter in a digital format, including the possibility of a fullcolor publication to deliver enhanced content via audio clips, video
segments, animations, click-and-print templates, etc. The learning
curve for some of these technologies is rather steep and Id rather
know the nature of the fire before I leap out of the frying pan.
For most subscribers, this is the final issue due. May the record
reflect that, although delayed, all subscription obligations have
been met. Those few whose subscriptions extend beyond this issue
will be personally contacted in order to resolve the manner in which
we deal with their credit balances.
Progress is well advanced toward compiling the first five
volumes into a cross-indexed, hard cover publication. When the
project is approaching a firm distribution date Ill let you know subscribers will be offered an attractive discount on the retail price.
During my reminiscence of the events since SYZYGYs inception
I am once again saddened at the passing of so many of the bright
stars in our galaxy of Mentalism. Those who come to mind are
Jack Dean, Ned Rutledge, Warren Schoonmaker (C.L.
Board), Carrol Priest, George Kirkendall, T.A. Waters,
Marcello Truzzi, Punx, Stanton Carlyle, Terri Rogers, Herb
Dewey, Al Mann, Gene Grant, Max Abrams, Tony Andruzzi,
Basil Horowitz ...and, of course, Bascom Jones. It was his
example as the publisher ofMagick which provided my incentive to
deliver a quality newsletter and his passing which opened an
opportunity in this market niche for SYZYGY.
All things considered, Id still rather be receiving
Magick.
When asked why I chose such an odd name for this newsletter, I
respond with the definition of syzygy:An event within a solar
system in which, by coincidence of their orbits, the planets are in
perfect alignment on one side of the sun; a celestial lineup. That is
exactly how I feel about SYZYGYs contributors. They, too, have
been a celestial lineup.
My sincere and heartfelt appreciation goes to those who have
shared of their time, treasure, and talent to help set a standard of
quality against which all future publications will be compared.
It is also appropriate that I acknowledge SYZYGYs subscribers
for their priceless loyalty, patience, friendship, and trust.
The path led here. Thank you for your splendid company.
432
19
438
Index by
Name
Bold page numbers indicate a
routine or article published
A
Abrams, Max 432
Ackerman, Alan 276
Alberstat, Paul 39, 96, 132,
411
Albright, Gregory 79, 258
Aldrich, Ron 216
Anderson, Erik 423
Andruzzi, Tony 432
Annemann, Ted 128
Anonymous 209
Arch, Dave 7, 101, 112, 130,
187, 188, 245, 248, 267,
294, 339, 398, 405
Archer, Danny 195, 230, 336
Ashton, David Fredric, III 85,
104, 144, 152, 224, 264,
268, 272, 284
Asselin, Michel 23, 65
Atkins, Victor Ray 373, 380
Auerbach, Loyd 200, 204, 268
B
Banachek 132, 169, 213, 248,
259, 295, 296, 333,
418. See also Shaw, Steve
Barlow, Norman 77
Barry, Pierre 151, 367
Beard, Malcom 232
Becker, Larry 41, 92, 96, 104,
120, 128, 132, 184, 196,
216, 225, 228, 252, 268,
276, 292, 316, 384, 392,
415, 416
Bem, Daryl 425
Benatar, Rafael 276
Bender-Rovinsky, Craig 196
Bergeron, Bev 45, 112, 125
Bernstein, Bruce 246, 248,
264, 352
Bishop, Gregory 329
Biss, James 271
Black, Elliott 128
Blackie, Richard 391, 414
Blaine, David 340
Bloom, Gaeton 336
Blount, Jerry 268
Bluemle, Robert 148. See also

Juris, Dr.
Board, C.L. 272, 376,
432. See also Schoonmaker,
Warren
Bongo, Ali 160
Bonneau, Ron 327, 328
Botwinick, Moshe & Teva 224
Boucher, Jean 27
Boudreau, Leo 158, 188, 353
Bowden, John 421
Brannum, Allen B. 38, 192
Brown, Derren 368, 380
Buckner, Charles 196, 268,
292
Buckner, Charlie 168
Budden, Morley 160, 276, 284,
312, 352, 368, 425
Burger, Eugene 344
Burke, Eddie 178, 311
Burmeister, David 2
Burt, Brad 124
Burton, Lance 164
C
Caidin, Martin 200
Caldwell, Christopher 14, 26,
108, 137, 196, 203, 252,
268, 276, 392, 403
Cameron, Douglas 160
Campbell, Lance 58, 335
Canasta, Chan 399
Carbonnier, Yves 363
Carlyle, E. Raymond 128, 197,
216, 268, 360. See also
Fowler, Ed
Carlyle, Stanton 432
Carter, Nell 140
Cassidy, Bob 132, 168, 216,
228, 296
Chelman, Christian 196
Christopher, Jason 337
Cicardi 208
Clarke, G. Allen, Jr. 383
Columbini, Aldo 336
Conover, Tim 100, 168
Curcillo, Joseph, III 265
Curry, Paul 200
Cuthbert, James 303, 304, 389
D
Dalu, Erikk 390
Darnel, Nani 316
de Clermont, Pascal 341
de Courcy, Ken 264
Dean, Jack 21, 142, 232, 249,
441
272, 297, 340, 432

Dee, Dave 376, 380, 385
Del Rosso, Charles 368
Delany, John 108
DeSouza, Marc 268
Devine, Tony 109, 112
Dew, Danny 192
Dewey, Herb 132, 196, 216,
233, 253, 320, 432
DiResta, Diane 305
Dixon, Doc 312
Domingo, Diego 192
Driscoll, Kenneth 399
du Clairmont, Pascal 168
Dubin, Burt 393
Dunninger 168, 196, 216
Dyment, Doug 224, 248
E
Earle, Dawn 160
Earle, Lee 10, 30, 43, 59, 70,
74, 78, 99, 127, 143,
153, 173, 185, 196, 204,
214, 252, 268, 269, 276,
282, 285, 292, 312, 318,
345, 353, 369, 374, 384,
406, 409, 413, 426
Earle, Warren Paul 96, 268
Edward, Mark 61, 91, 120,
138, 140, 207
Estrada, Eric 140
Evason, Jeff and Tessa 248
F
Faria, Christopher 227
Fenton, Bob 344
Flood, John Henry 132
Fogel, Maurice 109
Forster, Dr. Toni 264
Fossgreen, K.H. 201, 340
Fowler, Ed 200. See also
Carlyle, E. Raymond
Fox, Paul 192
Franchino, Sal 297
Frankel, Lonnie 316, 328
Franz, Dennis 160
Frlich, Ralf 316
G
G, Riley 96, 264
Gardner, John 148, 180
Garetz, Mark 193, 196, 204
Gargano, Ciro 371
Geller, Uri 132
Gentle, Thomas 93
Godfrey, Terry 427

Goforth, Chase 98, 119
Goldstein, Phil 6, 34, 73, 122,
128, 328
Gordon, Max 401
Grady, Ken 62
Grant, Gene 272, 432
Green, Lennart 361
Green, Paul 164, 199, 204,
263
Greget, John 384
Griffith, Tony 160
Grismer, Ray 126, 132
Grocki 190
Grosholz, Ray 216
Guttman, Ron 208
H
Hades, Brian 96
Hades, Micky 96
Hager, Fred 272
Hamilton, Daniel 100
Haney, Denny 112, 268
Hawley, Samuel 46. See also
Psiman, Marc
Heinlein, Robert 264
Hickok, Chuck 35, 163, 208
Hickok, Chuck and Betsy 248
Hilford, Docc 50, 104, 108,
120, 128, 152, 164, 200,
252, 268, 276, 392
Himelrick, David 66
Hollingsworth, Guy 316
Horowitz, Basil 376, 418, 432
Hoy, David 272
Hull, Burling 272
Hurlburt, Chris 29, 47, 49,
343
Hurtubis, Ed 204, 216
Hutchens, Leonard 196
Hyman, Ray 132
J
James, Stewart 196
James, Stuart 417
Jefferies, Peter 160
Johnson, Ross 57, 325, 328,
332
Johnson, Tony 208
Jolly, Graham 92
Jones, Bascom 132, 196, 432
Juris, Dr. 104, 148, 196, 205,
384
K
Karges, Craig 100, 208, 272,
296, 360
Karmilovich, Ted 64, 84, 148,
149, 188. See also
St. James, Ted
Kealoah, Jon 108
Kent, Tony 318
Kenton 106, 120, 196, 368,
384, 392. See also
Knepper, Kenton
Keyser, Earl 51, 162, 188
Kientz, Mel 384
King, Mac 336
Kirkendall, George 9, 150, 432
Kite, Graham 189
Klause, Roger 336
Knepper, Kenton 18, 252, 268,
276, 284, 344. See also
Kenton
Koran, Al 200
Korvo, Boris 157
Kralin, Ty 171, 188, 200, 217,
224, 272
Kroes, Jim 392
Kuffs, Patrik 110, 316
Kurtz, Gary 248
Mann, Al 248, 432

Marelli, Lee 182, 196, 204,
216
Marino, Joe 112, 168, 248,
260, 261, 272
Mark, Richard 33, 228, 288,
316, 380
Marks, Dennis 200
Martyn, Bruce 349
Masschelein, Frdric 360
Maven, Max 277. See also
Goldstein, Phil
Maxwell, Mike 252, 268, 276
Mays, Dr. Charles 272
McBride, Jeff 336
McCahon, Peter 301
Meaux, Ken 200
Mentzer, Jerry 144
Michaels, Steve 75, 239
Miller, Charlie 192
Miller, Dusty 242
Miller, Roy 132, 168, 228
Minch, Stephen 34
Morgan, Max 104, 108, 113
Mosier, T.J. 309
Mullica, Tom 276, 336
Myers, Bill 168
L
Lair, Michael 268
Larsen, Irene 112
Lattarulo, Aroldo 288, 336,
360
Laub, Denny 188, 200, 215,
237
Lee, Hank 380
Lesley, Ted 90, 92, 196, 264,
288, 356, 380
Leviss, Andy 177, 250
Levitt, Irene 229
Lieberman, David J. 316, 380
Lindan, Anthony 200
Lipp, Peter 360
Loomis, Dennis 340
Lorayne, Harry 313, 316
Lovecraft, Lynda 3
Loveland, Ed 144
Lucas, Ward 108
M
Macdonald, Ice 336
MacGregor, Chip 284
Machamer, Erick 268
Madhok, Raj 161, 281
Magus, Melania 332, 336
442
Nelson, Robert 157, 192

Nelson, Travis 94
Nosek, Terry 97, 105, 128,
200
Nu, Alain 141, 144, 183, 274
O
Orleans, Danny 81
Orleans, Jan and Danny 100
Orleans, Leah Rose 100
Ortiz, Darwin 276
Osborn, Darrell 331
Osborne, T.J. 194
P
Pacific, Paul 145, 148
Parrett, Terry 181, 315
Peak, Russ 329
Pecor, Charles 248
Pemberton, Charles 332
Perrino, Pasqual 286
Peters, Colin 160
Piatt, Ray 284, 316
Poncher, Jeffery 317
Popov, Peter 132
Porstmann, Mike 360
Presto, Faye 304

Prete, Tom 144
Priest, Carrol 432
Prost, Jean-Yves 352, 360
Psiman, Marc 92, 124. See also
Hawley, Samuel
Punx 140, 432
R
Randi, James 132
Renfro, Derek 37
Reynolds, Quentin 160, 321,
376
Rhod, Daniel 160
Richardson, Barry 417
Riggs, John 1, 54, 95, 96,
107, 120, 144, 148, 152,
167, 168, 188, 200, 206,
272, 368, 429
Roberts, Mark 188, 316, 328
Robertson, Blair 248
Robinson, Scott 272
Rocco 196
Rogers, Terri 432
Rosenbaum, Fred 118, 144
Ross, Faucett 192
Rozum, Neil 224
Rutan, Bert 224
Rutledge, Ned 108, 272, 332,
432
S
Sabitino, Vincent 313
Salem, Marc 83, 172, 223,
224, 248, 273, 276, 277
Sands, George 104
Santow, Mona 134
Satori 92, 168, 312
Schiffman, Nathaniel 320
Schoonmaker, Warren 376,
432. See also Board, C.L.
Schwabe, Ken 221
Seabrooke, Terry 160
Shaw, Randy 290
Shaw, Steve 5, 15, 100, 121,
124, 132, 164. See also
Banachek
Shemin, Orin 379
Shimada, Deanna 100
Shoemaker, Scott 132, 299,
357
Silverman, Barry 292
Sky, Marc 224, 234
Slater, Doug 179
Smith, Harrison 180
Smith, Monte 204
Somerdin, Jerry 292

Sperber, Burt 184
Spitz, Ron 284
St. James, Ted 224. See also
Karmilovich, Ted
St. James, George 42, 369
Stammers, Peter 170
Steiner, Dick 248, 257, 264
Stephens, Joe 380
Stone, Tom 22
Strivings, Mark 117, 128, 164,
188, 196, 200, 204, 252,
268, 276, 284, 289, 336,
340, 384, 392
T
Tank, J. 284
Teller 160
Terelmes, Daniel 13
Theiss, Christian 226, 336
Thomas, William 397, 407
Titon, Jean-Claude 381
Truzzi, Marcello 228, 432
U
Urban, Gene 92, 196, 200,
252, 268, 276, 334, 344,
384, 392
V
Van Tubergen, Norm 164
Vernon, Dai 192
Vos Savant, Marilyn 368
W
Wade, Eddy 272
Wade, Sandra 272
Wagner, Rich 208
Waller, Robert 133, 139, 200,
268
Ward, Gary 146, 152
Wardle, Chris 359
Warlock, Peter 160
Waterhouse, Rick 11
Waters, T.A. 432
Watson, Alan 192
Watson, Brian 63, 300, 377
Weber, Ken 168
Webster, Richard 92, 120, 129,
200, 248, 312
Weiner, Irv Mr. Fingers 368
Weinstein, Larry 108
White, Joseph 191
Williams, Alan 384
Wilson, Mark 316
443
Wilson, Mark & Nani 316, 328

Winston, David 100, 180
Witt, Wittus 102
Wolf 241
Wood, Bryan 292
Woodside, Lee 89, 112, 293,
316, 328, 365
Wuorio, Jim 111
Z
Zaltsman, Roei 336
Zellman, Anton 168
Zingg, Allen 165, 344
Zingg, Allen & Nancy 224
Zver, David 25
Index by
Category
Acid Test
Two Martini Hunch,The
Anagrams
Double Divination
Whenever - Anywhere
Artifact or Totem
Juris Prudence
Astrology
Double Divination
Bag - see also Baggie, Paper Sack
It Takes Balls
Baggie, Plastic
Ziploc Gizmo, The
Bills - see Currency
Billets
Eye PSIght
Graphis Acidus
Guidichar
Technicolor Trio
Binary Calculation
IQ Chart, The
Picture Show
Think Psychic
Blindfold
Psi-Touch
Tip of the Tongue
Ultimate Psychometry
Blackboard or Dry Erase Board
Beat The Machine
Deep Sea Digits
Really Real Prediction, The
Book
Brain Book
Canasta Revisited
Dream Scheme
Eye PSIght
138
131
205
131
418
301
265
257
297
423
22
157
162
158
349
27
301
167
329
107
405
42
57
318
399
185
297
Korano Blanco
L.E.X.I.con Revisited
Opus Conversam
Safely Sealed
Vested Interest
Walk of Fame
Whenever - Anywhere
World Tour
Ziploc Gizmo, The
Boon Writer - see Nail Writer
Bottle Cap
Battle Capper
Brochures
Local Attraction
Your Personality Mini-Profile
Broom
Clean Sweep
Candy
Melts in Your Mind
Minding the Mint
Tip of the Tongue
Calendar
Four on a Date
Camera Ready Art - see Layouts
Carbon Paper
Cards, Bingo
Ognib
Cards, Business
Boris and Natasha
Cast in Stone
Colored Judgement!
Digit Eyes
Double Delight
Dowsing Duplicates
Duplicitous Business
Emergency Mentalism
Enlightened Company
Guessin Gumballs
Impression
In Search of Truth
Life Force Triangle
M-I-N-D forThis and That, A
Mind Drive
444
143
374
282
190
35
227
171
325
257
9
33
239
135
295
161
417
329
150
214
343
151
149
181
421
414
221
183
194
127
246
327
21
341
241
281
259
14
Monte Logo
Penta-Preview
Silent Word, The
Synaptic Symbols
Tangled Web
Veg-a-Mental
Cards, Credit
Credit Check
Give the Lady Credit
X Cards, The
Cards, Other
$0.05 Quickie
Aura-Matic
Body Parts
Carded!
Cassette Deck
Digit Eyes
Domestic Deception
Dream Design
Elemental Assembly
Graphis Acidus
Himeirick Maneuver
, The
Local Attraction
Mental Murmurs
Mind Drive
Minefield
Nada Clue
Not by Chance
No-Brainer Q &A
Omniscient Oracle, The
One Point Five
Par for the Course
Positive Negative
Roll Tape!
Running the Numbers
Sidekick Network, The
State of Taste, A
Synaptic Symbols
Testy
Two On The Aisle
Zennercycle
Cards, Playing
Cold Readers
Enlightened Company
97
182
271
13
290
317
223
401
3
57
285
390
78
26
203
403
221
62
95
39
423
66
239
125
14
201
98
89
41
398
34
230
214
6
250
49
331
5
13
215
379
409
193
327
Four Way A-Hoy

Gamblers Recall
Intuitive Eye
Kid Vision
Kidz Kards
Object Dart
Oddly Even
Option Call
Party Partners
Polygraph Pack, The
Positive Negative
Practice Contact
Presentation 3
Psi-Touch
Tender Touch, The
Th-Th-Th-That
s All, Folks!
Tossed Out Trio
Touch Technique
Unleaded Par-Optic
Cards, Tarot
Dark Corner
Einsteins Tarot
Impression
Tarot-ized
Tarot Tin
Turning theTarot
Casino Chip or Round Tag
By the Numbers
Chip Shot
Number-voyance
Carnival
Midway Dream
Center Tear
Clip Sheet
Hands of Time
Chairs
Please Be Seated
Chess
Grand Master Gambit, The
Clip, Ostin Switch
Clip, Paper
Clip Sheet
Clipboard or Impression Device
Brain Book
Dream Scheme
Kismets Journey
445
105
126
361
47
237
2
390
199
427
77
6
258
111
27
294
137
311
94
117
81
170
341
37
245
191
289
178
197
10
110
63
33
10
318
185
93
Code - see also Two Person

Lightning Thot
225
167
Telephonic Oracle, The
7
Coins
Aura-Matic
78
Bit on the Backside
389
Changing the Game
411
Common Cents
309
Einstein Enigma, The
339
Fool That Tricked Einstein,The
249
Golden Year
213
Lucky Star
383
Minding the Mint
417
Money in Your Pocket
90
Mystero
50
Positive Negative
6
PSImpathy
146
Tourist Trap
303
Witch-Fork
141
Golden Year
213
Cold Reading
Cold Reading Demographic
205
Four Pattern Ploy
, The
229
Freudian Reading, The
377
KOLD Radio Readings
134
Mindblowing Psychic Readings 233
Mindblowing Psychic Readings, II253
Cookies
Fortunate Cookie, The
61
Crayons
Kid Vision
47
Wax The Facts
106
Currency
BillZBetter
121
Chip Shot
289
Double Delight
183
Minding the Mint
417
Psychic Jeopardy
286
Darts or Dart Gun
Destination Earth
23
Object Dart
2
Daub - see Eye Shadow
Dice
Five Cast
51
Doodles
Four Pattern Ploy
, The
229
Dowsing - see Pendulums

Electronics
Mental Murmurs
Envelopes
Affinity
Bit on the Backside
Credit Check
Dream Scheme
Futures Window
Give The Lady Credit
Half Hearted
Key to Success
Mystero
One Point Five
Payday
Savory Tip, A
Stickum Up
SpiritualAttraction
Tourist Trap
Equivoque - see Verbal Influence
Eye Chart
IQ Chart, The
Eye Shadow
Give The Lady Credit
Payday
Flatware - Spoons - Forks, etc.
Place Setting
Slow-Motion Gellerism
Spoon fed
Witch-Fork
Flowers
Table for Two, A
Forces
68th Parallel, The
Topologo
Glass
BillZBetter
Dark Corner
PK Under Glass
Two Martini Hunch,The
Gift
Midway Dream
Telltale Timber, The
This Gifts for You
Golf
Par for the Course
Graphics - see Layouts
446
126
142
389
401
185
59
3
102
293
50
34
109
119
75
179
303
162
3
109
187
1
397
141
226
29
30
121
81
373
138
197
242
263
230
Graphology
Graphology Goldmine
Graph-ometry
Gumballs
Guessin Gumballs
Headline
Dream Scheme
Futures Window
Greeked!
Post-Prognostiction
Holiday
Carded!
Hypnosis
Touch Technique
Ink, Disappearing or Invisible
Spycraft
Technicolor Trio
Instant Stooge
Mental Murmurs
Invisible Thread
Crystal Dust
Go Weigh
Jar
Guessin Gumballs
Jewelry
Scents and Sense
Keys - Locks
Compelling Key, The
Key to Success
Keys Redux
Keys Royale
Twisted Psyche
Layouts
Brain Book
Digit Eyes
Double Divination
Graphis Acidus
Half Hearted
Mind Flight
Par for the Course
Post-Prognostiction
Postcard Promo
PSImpathy
Shape of Things, The
Testy
Think Psychic
217
38
21
185
59
145
429
203
94
381
157
125
25
99
21
189
210
293
74
43
214
65
319
221
131
423
102
122
231
429
174
147
166
215
349
TopoLogo
Time Out!
Wanderlust
Whenever - Anywhere
Light Bulb
Lipstick or Lip Balm
Savory Tip, A
Whats Her Makeup?
Logos
Monte Logo
TopoLogo
Lotto
Running the Numbers
Magnets
Affinity
Compelling Key, The
PK Under Glass
Time Out!
Map, Atlas, or Globe
Destination Earth
Kismets Journey
Minefield
World Tour
Memory, Pseudo
Deep Sea Digits
Menu
Chinese Menu
Monopoly
Do Not Pass Go
Token Psychometry
Mnemonic
Mind Flight
Multiple Outs
Please Be Seated
Muscle Reading
Practice Contact
Nail Writer
Boris and Natasha
Capital City
Changing the Game
Deli Delight
Domestic Deception
Dream Design
Golden Year
Guessin Gumballs
447
30
79
140
171
265
119
133
97
30
49
142
210
373
79
23
93
201
325
42
118
195
313
122
15
258
151
181
406
411
177
62
95
213
21
Intuitive Flash
83
Kid Vision
47
Kidz Kards
237
Minefield
201
Money in Your Pocket
90
166
Veg-a-Mental
223
Newspaper, Newsletter, or Magazine
Clear Cut Choice
91
Clip Sheet
10
Greeked!
145
Mind Flight
122
News-Wordy
46
Psychic News
349
Numbers or Calculations
68th Parallel, The
29
Beat The Machine
405
By the Numbers
191
Compatibility
359
Deep Sea Digits
42
Digit Eyes
221
Digital Kicker
369
Four on a Date
150
Life Force Triangle
281
Lucky Star
383
Midway Dream
197
Number-Voyance
178
Ognib
343
Par for the Course
230
Pro Fabulation
261
Psychic Jeopardy
286
57
Running the Numbers
49
X Cards, The
285
O.M. Box
Eye PSIght
297
Paper Sack
Deli Delight
177
Mentalism Goes Postal
353
265
Paper, Special
Aura-Matic
78
Credit Check
401
Future Diet
335
Minefield
201
Party Game
Hearsay
363
Paycheck
Payday
Pen or Pencil
Colored Judgement!
Mental Murmurs
Tarot-ized
Pendulum
Compelling Key, The
Double Dowsing
For Whom the BellTolls
Intuitive Flash
Tarot-ized
Perfume
Scents and Sense
Pet Names
Petronym
Photographs
Affinity
Sense of Intuition
SpiritualAttraction
Physiology
Mind Over Body
Pin-Up Postcard
Ping Pong Balls
It Takes Balls
Pocket Items
Hindsight
Quintuple
Pool or Billiards
Corner Pocket
Post-It Notes
Melts in Your Mind
Post-It Parapsychology
Postcards
Capital City
Mentalism Goes Postal
Picture Show
Pin-Up Postcard
Postcard Promo
Poster
Verbal Influence
Wanderlust
Pre-Show Work
Actions Speak Louder
Picture Perfect
448
109
414
125
11
210
58
371
83
11
242
189
334
142
413
179
169
129
418
407
101
337
161
425
406
353
158
129
180
73
317
163
139
357
299
Professional and Promotional

13 Secrets for Killer Marketing 385
Cold Reading Demographic
205
Coffee House Psychic, The
85
Dealing With Disaster
321
Essentials for Excellence
345
Freudian Reading, The
377
Generating PowerfulTestimonials 393
Graphology Goldmine
217
How to Handle Dif
ficult Audiences 305
How to Make andTell Fortunes 113
KOLD Radio Readings
134
18
Mindblowing Psychic Readings 233
Mindblowing Psychic Readings, II253
Nuggets of Knowledge
54
Postcard Promo
180
Secret Circuit, The
153
Your Personality Mini-Profile
135
Puzzle or Game
Canasta Revisited
399
Puzzling Perception
269
Question and Answer
Emergency Mentalism
246
No-Brainer Q &A
41
Radio
KOLD Radio Readings
134
Rapid Calculation
Digital Kicker
369
Review
Mark Salems Mind Games
277
Ring
Keys Redux
74
SpiritualAttraction
179
Rune Stones
Cast in Stone
421
Ruperts Pearls
Crystal Dust
25
Sandwich
Deli Delight
177
Safety Pins
PK Pins
267
Scale
Fool That Tricked Einstein,The
249
Go Weigh
99
Silly Putty
Safely Sealed
190
Staples or Stapler
Guidichar
Swami Gimmick - see Nail Writer
Stamps
Poster
Stamp it Out
Symbols
$0.05 Quickie
Dream Design
Elemental Assembly
Four Pattern Ploy
, The
Synaptic Symbols
Tangled Web
Telekinetic Timber
Telephone
Telephonic Oracle, The
Thumbtip
Lightning Thot
Ouch!
Tip of the Tongue
Tic Sheet
Graph-ometry
Tic-Tac-Toe
Childs Play
Topology
68th Parallel, The
Half Hearted
TopoLogo
T.V. Remote Control
Channel Change
Two Person - see also Code
Hearsay
Party Partners
Verbal Influence
Bottle Capper
Common Cents
Destination Earth
Go Weigh
Minefield
Positive Negative
Videotape
Roll Tape!
449
22
265
73
367
390
95
39
229
165
13
290
242
7
225
415
329
38
45
29
102
30
333
363
427
9
309
23
99
18
201
6
250
Voodoo
Voodoo Lou
Wallet
Double Delight
Option Call
Psychic Jeopardy
Watch or Clock
Double Dowsing
Dream Scheme
Hands of Time
Roll Tape!
Safely Sealed
Tarot-ized
Time Out!
Time Will Tell
Time Matches On
Walk of Fame
Yoga
Go For the Jugular
Zodiac
Zodiesque
365
183
199
286
58
185
110
250
190
11
265
79
273
313
227
426
242
274
450

Lee Earle - Syzygy - The First Five Volumes

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Lee Earle - Syzygy - The First Five Volumes

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th e fi r s t fi v e volumes

Edited and Published by Lee Earle

No-Brainer Q & A............................................................................................ 41

Monte Logo ...................................................................................................... 97

Verbal Influence ........................................................................................... 163

Walk of Fame .................................................................................................227

Tourist Trap ...................................................................................................303

13 Secrets For Killer Marketing Materials...........................................385

Illustration: Tom Prete

Phoenix, AZ - June, 2003

Edited by: Lee Earle

David has a full

Give the Lady Credit

A keystone premise within the New Age community is

Edited by: Lee Earle

Believe it or not, the

Single issues: $2.50

The Telephonic Oracle

Colophons and Contributions

Edited by: Lee Earle

A masterly presentation breathes life

Single issues: $2.50

Rick is a storytelling performer

The participant watches as the performer opens a small,

Edited by: Lee Earle

Studies show that

Single issues: $2.50

The chair problem has been intriguing Mentalists for years.

being made to a person, place or thing. For example, the performer

In this first statement, notice how the unspecified words imply,

Edited by: Lee Earle

The Mentalist displays a large jar, filled

Single issues: $2.50

Tom Stone, a full

Recently an airline promoted mystery vacations for which

Edited by: Lee Earle

A most unusual crystal, shaped like

Single issues: $2.50

Jean is a full time

The power of thought, begins the Mentalist, is our greatest

The 68th Parallel

Edited by: Lee Earle

Inspired by Phil Goldsteins Kirigami

Single issues: $2.50

The fold & cut

Edited by: Lee Earle

I must find a companion for an

Single issues: $2.50

Phil Goldstein & Stephen Minch

One Point Five

If I asked you to mention a vegetable, begins the Mentalist,

You Might Like...

Edited by: Lee Earle

For those who do card readings,

Single issues: $2.50

Allen, an avid fan of

While I dont necessarily share their beliefs, begins the

Kudos, Corrections, & Comments

Edited by: Lee Earle

Have you heard the expression, He wears his feelings on his

Single issues: $2.50

George St. James

Deep Sea Digits

Ill tip a method in