July 11, 2007
Here's what's in this edition of
Jheff's Marketplace of the Mind Newsletter
*** MASTER DECK by Marc Oberon
*** 37 by Marc Oberon
*** DIGITAL DECEPTION by Marc Oberon
To make a purchase of any item in the JMOM newsletter,
please go to http://www.MarketplaceoftheMind.com
and use the shopping cart. If you're unable to do
this, you may respond to this e-mail.
To make sure you've not been missing any newsletters, check
out my blog, which is accessible from the main page. All of
the recent past newsletters are archived there.
*********
More and more, there are folks who are releasing material
that unethically uses others ideas. These folks don't
bother to use credits, ask permission for ideas that aren't
theirs to use, research to discover if their idea has
already been produced, and/or common sense in the creation
of the product. The result, of course, is either a complete
rip-off of established products or a poor variation of
existing products.
Which brings us to Marc Oberon. I'll professionally resist
using any adjectives to describe this individual. My
comments below about his products speak for themselves.
He's now released five mentalism effects and all with the
same unoriginal and ill-thought construction. I'll continue
to review them for you, but a rule of thumb is to stay away
from any product with his name on it. Stay far, far, far
away.
In fact, though I gave a warm review to Odd Ball, I'm going
to give the benefit of the doubt to those who claim that
it's a rip-off, since Mr. Oberon's other products clearly
have issues. I will be dropping that product from my
catalog.
As to new upcoming items, besides David Eldridge's Jules
Gems, which I mentioned in the last newsletter, Jay Sankey
has put on a new edition of his Paper-Clipped DVD that
contains some more material. That'll be forthcoming.
*** AUTOMATIC SHIPPING CHARGES . . . 4,367th TRY!
Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating on how many times I've
tried to get this set up. But, for now, I'm going to
try it and see what happens. Again.
As those who've ordered from me know, the shopping cart
service I use has not been accurate. This means that the
shipping and handling have had to be added by me after the
order has been made. Paypal users had to be billed
separately for this charge.
Now, my shopping cart service has assured me that
everything's ok and to try it again. Unfortunately, data
for many of the products had to be updated. That's mostly
done. And now things seem to be working.
So let's try this out: All U.S. based orders will be
shipped by Priority Mail. All non U.S. orders will be
shipped by air mail. Since I manually input credit card
info, if you pay by credit card (NOT Paypal), then I reserve
the right to change the shipping and handling price if I can
get it to you in the same amount of time and for less money.
For non-U.S. customers, if the shipping charges exceed $40,
use the Flat Rate Priority Mail option (about $40, and not
available in all countries).
Hopefully, (I'm knocking on wood really hard now), this will
work. I will say that not all the products' data is updated
and so there may be some shipping prices that are out of
line. If so, I'll definitely spot it and it'll be worked
out.
*** TWO NEW E-BOOKS
This is just a heads-up that next weekend will see the
general release of two new e-books. Both are currently
being offered to specific customers on a pre-sale basis
right now. One of these books is the third in Enrique
Enriquez's marvelous Invisible readings series and it's
called . . . Invisible Readings. First, it was Invisible
Gems, then Invisible Tarot. Now, it's Invisible Readings as
he tackles how to give accurate readings which can be
considered cold readings. It's a brilliant piece of work
that makes cold readings incredibly easy to do for anyone.
More on this later, of course.
The second e-book is by Jack Kent Tillar. Details are
below.
*** HOLLYWOOD MAGIC SQUARES
The 2nd volume of "From the Private Files of Jack Kent
Tillar" will be released next weekend. Jack has
tackled the flaws in most magic square methods and come up
with a brilliant solution.
Hollywood Magic Squares, a 24-page downloadable e-book,
takes a classic, yet complicated, method for accomplishing
the magic squares and applies some simple, subtle, and
sensational touches to make it a powerful new method for
this popular effect.
It will be officially added to my website next weekend.
Incidentally, if you purchased Volume 1, the Memory Pill
Act, and you haven't received the special pre-sale notice
for this e-book, e-mail me for the info.
*** SUMMER SPOTLIGHT: MENTAL ACTS
Here's a new feature that will call attention to products
that I feel shouldn't be overlooked by the working
mentalist. The following products are or can be complete
mental acts by themselves.
DOUBLE COINCIDENCE -- This three-phase book test is one of
the most powerful book test routines I've seen. Though one
book is prepared, it's the routine that is strong, not the
props. The first phase involves picking up images from a
selected passage; the second, the performer draws the
thought-of word; and the third phase involves an impossible
prediction of a freely chosen word.
http://www.marketplaceofthemind.com/Double_Coincidence.html
CRUISE CONTROL -- This routine involves many elements of a
cruise being freely chosen and all of them being predicted
by the performer at the routine's finish. I've always gotten
great response from this routine and feel that this is one
of Larry Becker & Lee Earle's most underrated creations. If
you do a travel themed set, you certainly want to check this
out. Heck, I'd recommend it just for the special traveler's
cheques which are ingenious.
http://www.marketplaceofthemind.com/Cruise_Control.html
QUESTA -- A professional Q & A routine that blends a trio of
principles together so that anyone "in the know" wouldn't be
able to backtrack. This is not a routine that is
recommended for mentalists with little experience, but they
can certainly purchase this and know what to work on and
towards.
http://www.marketplaceofthemind.com/Questa.html
***** MARKETPLACE MEMBERSHIP CLUB
The latest issue of Jheff's Journal of the Mind spotlights
Maurice Fogel, the subject of the new book by Christopher
Woodward and Richard Mark entitled Maurice Fogel: In Search
of the Sensational. To get it, you need to buy a membership
in the Marketplace of the Mind. For the $37 cost you get a
subscription to the 2007 issues of Jheff's Journal of the
Mind, an all-new e-zine for mentalists, and an additional
5% discount off merchandise from the Marketplace of the
Mind. There will also be specials and other stuff
throughout the year. Check out the preview edition
of the Bonus #0 issue featuring Jack Kent Tillar. Go to
the website and click on the banner at the top. Or use
the link below.
Check it out here:
www.marketplaceofthemind.com/jmmc.html
***** THE FRIENDS OF THE MARKETPLACE
Don't forget to check out the new Friends of the Marketplace
section. This is for those creators who are producing
wonderful products that I don't carry. This is because, to
save overhead, I order as needed from my distributor, and
these creators aren't mass distributing it. If you'd like
me to review your product and help you sell it, then you'll
find details about the Friends of the Marketplace program on
the website. There's a button on the left hand side for you
to click on.
I've just added the Craig Browning's CRITTERS, which is good
old fashioned mentalism fun with the theme of animals.
Also new to the section are Ron Martin's THE TAROT READER'S
NOTEBOOK, a must-have for Tarot readers; Alan Strydom's
PALMISTRY QUICKIES, a must-have for palm readers; Loren
Tindall's beautiful new THE DELPHI PORTAL, which is a
must-have prop for anyone who is a reader; and Gene
Nielsen's THE MAGICK YEARS, a jam-packed e-book filled with
over 70 professional and varied routines.
Remember, I don't make a dime on this stuff. I do this
because I think the stuff is very good and worth it.
http://www.jheff.com/friendsofthemarketplace.html
Until next time. -- Jheff
*********
MARC OBERON
MASTER DECK
JMOM Price: n/a, by special request only
Suggested Retail Price: $60
THE BLURB:
Have the ability to locate ANY named card instantly and with
no memory work!
This new system from the mind of Marc Oberon takes all of
the time and effort out of learning to use a memorized
stack. You'll really be using it in no time at all.
In this package you will receive one specially prepared
Bicycle deck and an instructional DVD teaching the mechanics
of the deck and six fantastic routines utilizing the system.
MY COMMENTS:
OK, the best I can say about this is that it does what is
advertised. But, let's all say it together now, "Deland."
Yep, this is really just Deland's Automatic deck, currently
being sold by Adams for about $6. Actually, it's less than
that, because the Deland deck is easier to use. The big
difference is that Oberon has altered a regular Bicycle
deck. And, yes, it is a big difference, but a very
insubstantial one! Additionally, the retail price is just
unbelievably high as most of Oberon's cra--, er, products
are. Finally, the deck is not examinable. At least, not
before the start of any effect. I really fail to see what
the value is of creating a poor man's memorized deck system
such as this. If you want to do these types of effects,
then learn a memorized deck method.
I can't recommend this. And I can't express just how much I
really, really urge you not to get this.
*********
MARC OBERON
37
JMOM Price: n/a, by special request only
Suggested Retail Price: $25
THE BLURB:
A prediction is shown written on a slip of paper which is
placed in an empty envelope and left in full view. A
spectator names a two-digit number, the prediction is
removed and the number written matches the named
number...every time!
Includes: Envelope, slips of paper and detailed instuctions
MY COMMENTS:
"Credits? What credits!? I don't need no stinkin'
credits!"
Okay, I'm liberally paraphrasing here, but it seems to be
the thoughts that are going through Marc Oberon's head when
he's putting together these routines. Cross the Piatt
envelope with an Annemann index (or any other index) and
you've got this mess of a product. Why use the 37 subtlety
when you can use an index for so many more things? Why not
use a simple mentalist's tool that will allow you to reveal
ANY two digit number on a piece of paper within an envelope?
For those unfamiliar with the Piatt envelope, the 37 ruse,
or the Annemann index, this may be confusing. You'll just
have to trust me. But besides that, I know I've seen the
marriage of these two ideas elsewhere. I didn't think it
very practical when I first saw someone with that idea. I
haven't changed my mind since.
Now, if this were a $5 manuscript, part of a book of ideas,
or even a $5 product, I may be more kind to it. But, like
his other stuff, this is priced ridiculously high for ideas
that are unoriginal and uninspired.
I can't recommend this. And I can't express just how much I
really, really urge you not to get this.
*********
MARC OBERON
DIGITAL DECEPTION
JMOM Price: n/a, by special request only
Suggested Retail Price: $50
THE BLURB:
You remove a key and ring from your pocket and explain that
your audience will create a three digit number. You ask
several people to name a single digit number and these are
put together to create a random three digit number.
Amazingly, the number named exactly matches the number
digitally printed on the key ring!
Includes: Instructional DVD, notepad, permanent marker, key
and tag gimmick, and detailed instruction booklet.
MY COMMENTS:
Were this effect to come out about 20 years ago, it would be
much better. However, it's quite dated. How often do you
see those LED digital readouts each day? Certainly not as
much as a few decades ago. How many keys do you see with
digital readouts on them? I don't see any. The method is
certainly not new as it is the standard way of doing the
Koran medallion. The difference is that instead of using
numbers or letters for that special prediction key, you're
blocking out numbers on a grid of black-and-white LED-type
readouts? Besides the fact that this outdated, I do recall
seeing an effect (maybe two) that used this idea to predict
numbers. Like Oberon's other stuff, this is credit-less,
unoriginal, and uninspired.
If you want this effect, seek out the original Koran method
or get John Archer's Collard, which is nice update (and you
don't have to use the pet theme).
I can't recommend this. And I can't express just how much I
really, really urge you not to get this.
*********
To make a purchase of any item in the JMOM newsletter,
please go to http://www.MarketplaceoftheMind.com
and use the shopping cart. If you're unable to do
this, you may respond to this e-mail.
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