I see a famous memory expert has written his autobiography.

(Spoiler Alert) I’ll save you more than fifty bucks:

He was born

He wrote a few books

He ultimately became an intolerable Dick

This is a re-release from approximately 10 years ago. At that time I described it as two guys fucking around in front of a camera and trying to sell it. After all of these years, this release can best be described as two guys fucking around in front of a camera and trying to sell it. I didn’t look at the whole thing again, as I have much better things to do. I’m sure there’s some fool on the Café willing to say they got their money’s worth if they get just one good idea from any DVD. If I only get one good idea I feel screwed. Actually, I can’t recall getting any good ideas from this release, but surely there is something worthwhile if you’re willing to dig it out. I’m not! I’m assuming this has been released to take advantage of the buzz that has been created by the new releases from Richard Sanders. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to look at some of them in the future. A couple are pretty good. Nothing in the class of Extreme Burn or his rope material, though.I like both of these guys. Over the years they have produced some really good magic. They’ve also produced a lot of Turkey’s. It’s the nature of the business.

I was recently looking at Wayne Houchen’s Sinful, which was his attempt to milk the popularity of his terrific Quarter In Soda Can. (Actually, there’s some presentational ideas on that disk which may make it worth your money). In his interview with Paul Harris he talks about the time, in his late teens, when his creativity was at its peak. He hasn’t had that kind of inspiration since then and probably never will. The same can be said of Sankey and Sanders. Look at any creative magician and you’ll see a diminution in the quality of their output as they get older.If it’s not clear yet – save your money. Buy one of Richard Kaufman’s latest reprints. That will be far better use of your money in my opinion.

One other thing that I nearly forgot. There is approximately 2 1/2 hours of material on these two DVDs. I would really hate to see what was left on the cutting room floor, but at least fill them up fellers. This is actually shameful.

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Big Blind Media is certainly taking advantage of the overhead camera to explain this trick on their latest release Ultimate Self Working Card Tricks Volume 2.

Now don’t you understand the workings better!

L&L Phase 2.

By the way, this isn’t a bad collection at all. Some of the big names in card magic have contributed decent tricks. I just personally find tricks of this genre tedious and more mathematical than mystical.

As I get older I tend to spend less on new, current magic. Maybe I’m getting more discriminating are maybe I’m just cheaper. I think people my age tend to denigrate all new stuff and that’s not fair. Actually, there’s some very find material being released which is, unfortunately, drowning in a sea of rancid manure. These are some items that I have either seen are acquired over the past year or so and I think are worth your money:

Confidences by Roberto Giobbi – 

I like the scholarly work of Roberto Giobbi. He is an author that takes his work very seriously. I hope that anyone reading this that has the slightest interest in card magic has the entire Card College series on his shelf. It certainly is on mine. His Daily Agenda is one of my all-time favorite books. I can’t say that there are 366 gems in it, but I guarantee you that over half of the entries are well worth your consideration. A ratio we seldom see anymore.

This is his most recent effort. The book is physically small, approximately 5″ x 7″. There are approximately 265 pages. There are only 11 items, that they are covered in depth. I have particular fondness for his chapter on Tally-Ho and his Thoughts on Controls. The latter running over 75 pages.

To me, this book is more valuable than any DVD I have seen recently. Do yourself a favor and grab this small volume. It’s some of his best work.

Tiny Plunger–

I didn’t plan on liking this. This screams of the kind of cutesy pie crap that gives i/m gas. One reason this works is because the prop, in itself, is very interesting and unusual. As I understand it these were originally devised as sort of an easel for a cell phone. You can find them everywhere – eBay, your local magic shop, your local cell phone shop and of course China. Jon Armstrong’s routine is clever and amusing. It will play well far a reasonably intelligent adult grouping. This is not a trick for the kiddies. One reason I like Armstrong’s routine is he doesn’t play it as a great mystery but still makes it a fuller without insulting the intelligence of his audience. It’s one of the best I’ve seen in a long time. Unfortunately, this trick requires a table. Something that is seldom available in many venues that we work. I didn’t care for Blich’s Material on the DVD, but that is a personal preference. I didn’t care for his presentation are some of the material that he used. That’s just me, you may find it terrific.

Do yourself a favor and grab this. I think it’s going to be a near classic.

If you didn’t know Andrew Musgrave, formerly the proprietor of Ye Olde Magick Blogge, has returned with a new blog. The new one is called The Burnaby Kid. I can’t tell you how happy I/M is to see him back. Andrew is passionate, intelligent, a good writer and he has balls! This makes for a wonderful combination. He also has more energy than I/M and produces a LOT of good stuff. Just spend a little time with his Annotated Royal Road To Card Magic or read some of his reviews. You’ll see what I’m talking about.

Is he right all the time? Hardly, but his writing is always well reasoned and he gives you deep insight into his thought processes. Something very, very rare in magic writing.

I’m glad to have him back on a number of counts, most of them selfish, but most of all I hated to see that ass hole, His Holiness, win. I know, I know he takes pills and we must forgive him – just ask Tom Fucking Frame. Anyway, for the time being things seem to be righting themselves and the blogging world feng shui is again in order.

Andrew, and others, has spent a great deal of time recently talking about Real Secrets. This is a monthly trick produced by unknown persons. It seems to appeal to those that want to be on the inside and smell the jocks of name magicians. From what I’ve seen it’s a waste of money, but it wouldn’t be the first money that most of us have wasted on bad magic. It seems that some disgruntled subscribers have begun publishing what the tricks are in violation of the terms as dictated by the proprietors of Real Secrets. It’s a pleasant respite to see the screwees fighting back.

In some respects this reminds me of Microsoft’s requirements for reviewing software. A reviewer must sign an NDA and under threat of having an army of Microsoft lawyers sit on their head they cannot publish the results. This way, Microsoft can continue to produce absolute shit and nobody knows it –  at least until they fork over their hard earned money for the product!

I guess I’m somewhat surprised that anyone would fall for this. So much of the doubletalk and restrictions stated when this project first began, including mandatory renewal, just stunk. Every time I think magicians can’t be dumber, I’m proved wrong. The last paragraph in Andrew’s most recent editorial said it best: Because magicians are idiots.

Some years ago I wrote an article here entitled Fuck Me I’m A Magician. The subject of that particular post doesn’t matter, but the principles have stood the test of time. I’ve never seen a group more willing to take it in the ass and say how much they enjoyed it. I’ll never understand!  

I wonder if Roland ever had any luck with this post:

Is there anyway to get in touch with you? Or is there anybody out there willing to get in touch with me? I’m planning a serious interview with one of you guys. It will be about the “deleting of threads” on the Magic Cafe. It will be a chance to have your side of the story be heard.

Anybody up to the task?