JAMES BISSPresents:

WHITE TAGGER

A WILD APPROACH TO MIND BLOWINGI

INTRODUCTION TO WHITE TAGGERSAlthough I first observed White Tigers in Northern India and in Las Vegas, my

first encounter with a White Tagger was, curiously, on the Gulf of Mexico. We were onour annual winter vacation and I was in a Target store - not especially well known for itswild life. As I passed by one of the aisles I picked up a hand held device that enabledusers to produce beautiful and professional looking little white labels or "tags" with thegreatest of ease. There were several different price points and styles of the devices andmy "extremely mental" mind began formulating dozens of applications for the world ofmind reading. I bought one of each - as I'm apt to do on such occasions - and my fertilemind was distracted all evening and especially at dinner over how these things could beemployed. Serendipitously, we dined in a Chinese restaurant - though not a particularlygreat one. But at the end of the meal we were offered the bill along with a smallcollection of fortune cookies... FORTUNE COOKIES! The perfect oracle! And thelittle fortunes inside looked an awful lot like ... little white tags from my "taggers"! Mythought process took off and I barely slept all night.

These hand held thermal printers by companies such as DYMO and Brother arenot well known outside ofNorth America. In fact, my international Mentalist friends andfans have shared with me that they are oddly unavailable in a great many countries. Youwon't find mention of them in any of the magical or mental literature in print or online.

They come in a variety of shapes and flavours in my comer of the globe but afterexperimenting with virtually all of them (my office is full of a wide spectrum of thethings much to the frustration of my wife Laurie) I settled on one particular model byDYMO that suits my mind blowing needs perfectly. It's called the QX-50. The keyfeature is that it can be operated with one hand, yet can remain stable on a flat surface. Italso has a full QWERTY key board which allows rapid and accurate keying in ofinformation back stage - or even on stage. It's compact and quiet and works brilliantly atproducing little tags in a wide range of fonts as well as font sizes. The tags can be set to afixed length. The QX-50 thus became my full time secret assistant.

The actual labels by DYMO are equally perfect. First of all, they don't have anoverly plastic quality to them as their competitors do. They are more like durable paperand look surprisingly like fortunes in fortune cookies. Secondly, they have an adhesivebacking on them which splits from the middle, making it easy to remove. Thecompetition is remarkably less friendly. Trust me. They're a struggle to peel - more soat show time. And the adhesive on the DYMO labels resists the oil of skin - even mine -which means when they are fixed upon the under side of the ring finger - they stay there.In fact, they stay as long as you wish. When you're ready to ditch it, it just curls up into atiny roll which can fall unnoticed to the floor with a flick of the thumb. This createssome remarkable possibilities...

All of these qualities are ideally suited for the effects which follow and I suspectyou too will discover the joys of working with your very own secret assistant. When my

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Oompa Loompas tipped me off that DYMO was phasing out the QX-50 for some PC-based replacement, I began my own crusade to save these White Taggers from extinction.I thought of creating a glass habitat for them in the desert or even selling plush toys toraise funds for the cause. In the end, however, I decided to negotiate with DYMO'sOornpaLoompas and acquire all the QX-50's that were left in their holding areas. Whilea few may tum up from time to time in non magical places, I am pleased to report that Ihave secured enough of the beasts to insure they find a suitable home with Mentalistsworld-wide for some time to come. I know that you will take very good care of yoursand that the following terrific effects will insure that your White Tagger will give youmany astonishing and heart warming moments.

TAKING PICTURES

I'm not a big fan of Q & A routines. I can honestly say that there is only one, orpossibly two, performers around today that can really work information - peeked rightfrom under audiences' noses - into entertaining mentalism. Generally speaking, diviningobscure trivia about individual spectators doesn't make for an engaging experience forthe rest of the audience! For example if the performer clairvoyantly knows, for example,that the person two rows ahead of you has a niece named Nisha in Nepal - I'm not surehow you're supposed to be enthralled. This is especially true if there is lots of fiddlingwith "billets" (whatever the hell they're supposed to be) and suspicious activity galore.Even the writing down of such information is itself, in the first place, quite simply -suspect.

Please don't shoot the messenger. I'm simply sharing a personal observationfrom witnessing countless Q & A presentations. Perhaps they made more sense in aSpiritualist milieu, but such a routine seems strangely anachronistic today. In any case,should you wish to pursue a traditional Q & A presentation there are a number of greatreference works to assist you. In particular, there are a number of secrets to takingspecific information you find on audience member's slips and build them into much,much more. Richard Osterlind's extensive work on this has popularized theseapproaches and for more complete study of the Cold Reading subtleties which can really"punch up" information I would recommend you also consult the writings of RobertNelson, Burling Hill, Theodore Annemman, T. A. Waters, John Riggs (specifically TheCompleat Fortune Teller), Lee Earle, George Anderson (specifically It Must Be MindReading) and perhaps Brad Henderson's publication The Dance.

TAKING PICTURES evolved out of a desire to rethink the Q & A idea and makeit more engaging to everyone in the audience. Twanted a presentation that would keepeveryone involved and observant, but also I wanted something that (sort of) justified theuse of pencil and paper in the first place. I think the routine that follows, to some extentanyway, gives a context for jotting something down and then revealing it later. Mostimportantly, I wanted a presentation that opened up lots of opportunity for quick wit andreal interaction with the crowd - something I deem as essential to mind blowing. Theidea evolved over a great many performances into the strong routine which follows. It'sflexible and fun and can play in the smallest to the largest of spaces with little baggage. Ialso like it very much. Lately I've been using it as a show opener.

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Before my performance, to save time, I've handed out (or left on their chairs)little pencils and pieces of paper about three inches square. [I've included some samplesof what I like to use in this package. Personally, I buy the pencils by the gross atStaples.]] I've instructed audience members to picture something important in theirhomes - an obj ect - something that truly matters to them. They are told to then draw apicture of that object - identifying it with text if they wish - or if they're poor artists!The slips of paper are folded in half and later collected in an opaque bag by a suitablyeager young boy or girl. We'll call him Juan.

How many ofyou have an active imagination? Ah - quite a few! Perfect! Someofyou seem to have a VERY vivid imagination and use it frequently I think. And that's aperfectly good thing not to be ashamed Of ..

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I too have a very vivid imagination.I can picture things in mind with great clarity. In fact with very imaginative people. I caneven imagine what they're imagining' Can you imagine that? I can!!

Earlier I asked you to picture something special in your mind. On top ofthat Iasked you to draw a picture ofit to truly focus on that thing alone. Juan here has beenskillfully guarding your drawings, right Juan? No one's come near them and even youcan't see through that bag can you? Good. So unless there are any final contributions,please seal the bag closed.

I'd now like all ofyou to see those pictures in your mind. You can close your eyesif it helps - but leave your mind open andfocus just on that image. Maybe see yourselfdrawing that picture again.

Ifyou've got a really vivid imagination - I may just get a glimpse ofthat picturetoo ...

I wave my right hand, holding a magic marker, in the air as if trying to catch athought. My eyes are closed to make the moment more authentic. I then shout out, YES,THERE'S ONE' Everyone open their eyes! I think I may have got an image ofsomeone 's thought.

I go to my sketch pad and begin drawing (depending upon the audience size, Imay use a large flipchart). I intentionally draw the image non-sequentially so the linesand curves don't make sense at first and then gradually start to take shape. Each memberof the audience watches intently to see if I'm actually drawing the thing in their minds.Their curiosity is natural.

Who's picturing something like this? It's a sad looking stick dog with long curlyfur. A man raises his hand and stands. You sir! Thanks for standing. What the hell isthis? He reveals that it is in fact his pet dog "Major" (or whatever). Sir your dog Majorneeds a better diet! How sad is that? And this is like the picture in your mind sir,correct? Please give him a round of applause to acknowledge his honesty ladies andgentlemen!

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Alright let's see if [ can pick up another image from someone very focusedEveryone try to imagine their image once again. Some of you are breaking yourconcentration. Whoa someone has a very strong image in their mind [don't knowwhere but [think [ have something. You can stop sending now. Let's see if [ canreproduce it here.

Again I start drawing an unrecognizable picture at first, suggesting I'm gettinginputs in a somewhat jumbled way. There 's a curved line here and straight lines hereand is that some sort ofpersonal computer and monitor? Who's sending that image myway? THREE OF YOU! NO WONDER IT'S SO STRONG! But there's this flat monitorlike this and the key board is flat too. Does that resonate with one ofyou in particular?Yes? You sir. Very good. [thought it might. Please give these folks a littleappreciation ...Welldone!

I've zeroed in on the one particular person who imagined their personal computerthat way, but as often happens, two other folks were thinking the same thing but picturingit differently.

For a larger audience, I can continue with another two images in this way for alonger set, but typically I'll do only two if I can get enough mileage with the secondimage. In any case, I'm now set for the final revelation and the end of the routine. Idraw attention to my guarding spectator (Juan) who has been holding everyone's picturesthe entire time. (For larger audiences, there may be several of these guardians spreadthroughout the theatre.)

Juan, earlier you sealed everyone's drawings in that bag, correct? And there'sno way that neither you nor the people near you could have been peeking at them, right?Ladies and Gentlemen, let me know try and attempt something really challenging. Juando you have a vivid imagination? No? Well let 's see. For the first time, [want you toopen the bag. There's a tear strip to help you. Right where you're standing, please openthe bag and reach in and grab just one drawing. But don't show anybody yet. Just oneand keep it to yourselffor the time being. Pass the bag forward to the stage and keepthat one picture concealed in your hand

With Juan standing somewhere in the audience, he has apparently freely chosenone of the pictures and send the bag forward to me. One at a time I pullout two or threeslips of paper, with my hands otherwise clearly empty. Juan you could have chosen thisone, which looks like a vase with a giant sunflower. Whose is that? You my dear?Thankyou. You also could have chosen this one, which looks like an enormous massagedevice. Whose is that? Something very important indeed Thankyoufor sharing that!

But you do have one picture in your hand Juan, I'm going to close my eyes and [want you now to look at that image for the first time and then close YOUR eyes andpicture it in your mind as clearly as you can. Come on Juan. Concentrate. 1'm notgetting anything yet! 1 still have my eyes closed Would the person next to Juan alsolook at the picture and concentrate on that image alone - and would everyone else pleasenot focus on anything inparticular. [now have two people thinking ofthe same pictureand I'm now getting afaint image. ['II give it a try.

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With my eyes opened, I start to draw, cryptically at first, but then it takes shape -it's a bottle of wine on a tray. Does this make any sense? Juan what were you twofocusing on? From the centre of the room Juan and his friend reveal that they wereindeed thinking of a bottle of wine on some sort of tray! Ladies and gentlemen a hugeround ofapplause for these two visionaries! And thank YOU!

CRYSTAL BALLS

The first phase of this effect is a delightful bit of carry-around mentalism I keep inmy wallet. It uses the White Tagger in a much less immediate way than the other effectspresented here, but the particular features of the device prove especially useful. Theresult is a relatively impromptu performance piece that apparently happens quitespontaneously using a single item which has been borrowed But by using my WhiteTagger backstage when I can, it offers a very powerful second phase which takes the trickover the top...

You may not be aware of this, but we have one of the truly great psychics in ourmidst. Chad would you come up here with a little appreciation from our audience, Ibegin. I've chosen a quite unsuspecting spectator who appears at first glance to be themost unlikely of superheroes. After he's joined me I say, thankyou Chadfor gracing uswith your presence today, by any chance can you show us some incredible feat ofclairvoyance andpsychic prestidigitation?

Whatever he replies, I respond with, Excellent! We're in for a treat! Did youbring your crystal balls Chad? You do have crystal balls, right Chad? No? Well we'llhave to use one ofmine!

I reach into my pocket with my left hand and with a little mime, pullout aninvisible crystal ball about six inches in diameter. How's this", I deadpan with Chad.Here you go. Go ahead and hold the crystal ball in your left hand. You're not lefthanded are you? I thought so. Perhaps you should give it a few magical gestures to getit warmed up. Inevitably he will make some comical motions around the little bit ofnothing he is apparently grasping. That's interesting, I continue, I always thought it wasmore ofa polishing gesture like this. I reach over to again grab the sphere with my lefthand and do a "polishing" like action above and around the imaginary ball with my righthand.

For this test we'll need someone in the audience with a cell phone. You sir! Ibelieve you have a cell phone with you, correct? And we didn't meet before tonight, didwe? You seem happy about that sir. The gentleman indeed pulls out a phone, butremains in the audience. Are your ready Chad? Yes? Sir, does yourphone have a "lastnumber dialed" feature? Perfect. Would you go to that number please but don't call itout. In a moment I believe Chad's going to try doing that for you!

Chad, please gaze through the crystal ball and see ifyou can see the first threedigits on this gentlemen's cellphone ... He does so and calls out "297". Is that right sir?

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REALLY? CHAD! Ladies and gentlemen! Now, I know what you're thinking! Ofcourse, that's a local area code Chad. Let's see if by any chance you can see the moredifficult next three! He looks into the imaginary crystal ball and calls out "322". Howdid he do? The gentlemen in the audience acknowledges that these too are correct. Ohcome on folks! Religions have been based on less than this! Chad, you're doingbrilliantly. People are going to go wild with applause ifyou can do the following threenumbers on this gentlemen's cell phone. And you've never met each other have you? Iknew that. Okay Chad. Give it a go! Chad calls out three more numbers and they arealso correct!

Ladies and gentlemen this is a long shot but ifyou can get the last number rightChad, these folks are going to give you a standing ovation! Chad calls out "3". Theaudience member however announces that this is not correct. Oh Chad. I'm so sorry.Nonetheless that's pretty incredible folks. Let me give the crystal ball a wee polish. Iwave my hand in slight polishing action and say it's a 5 isn't it? The gentleman in theaudience confirms that this indeed correct!

Chad, take this crystal ball as a small token ofour appreciationfor what you 'wshown us today. I apparently hand him the crystal ball and in the process show that thereis nothing in my left hand. As he retums to his seat and accepts his applause, I stopthings for a moment and draw attention once again to the man with the cell phone. Wait!Let me see that crystal ball again. Sir, we've not met before tonight and I obviously don'tknow your private cell phone number. You seem REALLY happy about that. You've nottold me or written it downfor me have you? With a mock rub of the imaginary ball in myright hand I look down and callout a phone number. The number is the gentlemen's cellnumber! A person I've never met before this evening!

I return the "gift" to Chad and accept a well earned round of applause, showingboth my hands empty...

CHINESE ORACLE

As I suggested previously, my initial excitement with the potential of WhiteTaggers - and the QX-50 in particular - took off after visiting a Chinese Restaurant nearVenice, Florida I had been spending several days pondering the perfect prediction effectand wondering about the ideal "vehicle" or "container" for a powerful prognostication.Such things obsess me you see. What is a logical medium for a message of the future?What is the nature of my clairvoyance about what is to come? What does it comefrom?(Should something external to me be the source of my intuition and insight?) I've hadconsiderable experience with sneaky envelopes like I've provided you with in thispackage and I've written about them extensively elsewhere. But thematically andartistically (?) what would audience members associate with foretelling of the future?What would be an interesting artifact to bring up on stage or, more precisely, to sendalong to some dignitary in advance of a show? A Surprise Gift Wrapped Box seemsinteresting but not quite right. A Time Capsule is both interesting and sensible - and Ihad been doing lots of brainstorming in this direction - building upon John Kennedy's

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and Michael Close's work along these lines involving visible but just out-of-reachdummy slips. (For this reason a long and funky Lay's stacked potato chip tube had gotme very excited on the plane ride south!) But it was the serendipitous night of Chinesefood that really thrilled me. FORTUNE COOKIES!!!! How perfect are fortune cookies.Almost everybody knows what they are (in my corner of the world anyway) and almosteverybody associates them with PREDICTING in a fun way. They are an immediatelyrecognizable oracle - all wrapped up in a delightful package! (They also deflect MYsource of advanced knowledge - prophesy - to something I can live with along with myaudience members.) The presentational elements of a truly mind blowing piece ofmentalism seemed obvious to me. The CHINESE ORACLE was born that very eveningand the QX-50 provided the means to something quite remarkable.

[By the way, the message inside my cookie that night read YOUR LOVE LIFEWILL BE HAPPY & HARMONIOUS. It was accurate to an astonishing degree.]

Finally, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present to you, one ofthe trulygreat oracles of our time. A future predictor rhat Kings and Queens, Presidents andPrime Ministers, Management and Front line employees all have consulted and no doubtyou do, too! I'm speaking ofcourse ofa window into thefuture that has allowed even meto see ahead with remarkable wisdom and insight. I'm speaking ofcourse - ofFortuneCookies!!!

How many oj you have consulted the wisdom of Fortune Cookies in the past, Iask. Inevitably most hands go up mixed with no small amount of giggling and nodding.Well two weeks ago I sent a very big Fortune Cookie to our host, Mr. Big. Isn't thatcorrect sir? Some appropriate dignitary or executive in the audience stands toacknowledge that indeed they have received such a thing from me, well in advance oftoday's show, and generally they hold it up prominently to display it to everyone present.It is an enormous Fortune Cookie at least 4 inches in diameter still sealed in a transparentbag.

Mr. Big, would you be kind enough to continue holding the bag in plain viewwithout opening its package or place it in some very prominent spot so that none of uscan touch it just yet. Generally they will put it in some very visible location or dutifullycontinue holding it so the audience can keep track of it.

To begin with, I'd like anyfive people to take these large cards I'm handing outand print a very large letter on thefront of it with these markers. It can be any letter inthe alphabet but ideally a couple ofyou at least will choose some vowels. You 'll see whyin a moment, I explain. I've handed out large card stock [like the cover of thismanuscript] and magic markers and five or six people are encouraged to create a giantletter card. When they are finished I send them up to the stage. While we continue, I'dlike you folks to meet together on stage over here and put your letters together to comeup with a last name. Please try to come up with as real a name as you can with the all ojthe letters you've created. It doesn't matter rhat it's silly. While I continue on with theaudience, this group meets as a committee and tries to put their letters together to arriveat some sort of name. The process is ridiculous of course and with the letters they've

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created, H U AMY (or whatever) all they seem to be able to come up with as acommittee is "MAYHU".

Meanwhile, for all the rest ofyou in the audience, I'd like to invite you to pick upyour pencils and papers and jot down your very favourite food in the whole world I'mcrazy about sushi myself, Unagi to be precise, but I want you print the one taste sensationthat's your private pleasure. Just jot it down on your paper now please and we'll comearound to collect your choices. Ifyou fold them in half that would be helpful to keepthem private for the time being. I collect a few in the bag but eventually hand over thetask to a spectator, Heather we'll call her, to continue collecting them all in a transparentzip lock bag.

How are you all doing up here, I ask of the team on stage. I see you've come upwithMAYHU I wonder how you might pronounce that. "May Huu" I guess. How veryodd. It actually sounds a tiny bit Chinese. How appropriate. M-A-Y-H-U Please take amagic marker andjot that name down on this flip chart so everyone in the audience cansee it. MR Mayhu would be great. I hand them a marker from my table or case anddirect them to a flip chart or my sketch pad to copy their name down before returning totheir seats with my thanks.

Do we have everyone's personal passions collected? I ask to gather up the bagwhich has accumulated the audience's selections. Please come on up here Heather withthe bag. Let's give them a really good shake up to mix them up. Heather comes up onstage with a collection of slips in the bag and the slips are mixed up. Will you nowplease, Heather, reach down inside the bag and pull out just four slips. Just the fourplease! She does and I invite her to read them out loud. They are Pizza, KD, Samosasand Ice Cream. All excellent choices, I declare.

Mr. Big it's now time to come up on stage with your Fortune Cookie. Would youplease take it out ofits bag and examine it. It's still intact isn't it? Just as when I sent itto you two weeks ago (or whatever). Please give it a shake. Do you hear the fortunesinside it? Yes? Show Heather. Can you hear them too Heather? They verify that thecookie is intact and that things are inside the enormous cookie.

Please hold open your two hands facing up please Mr. Big and we 'll break thecookie open. I break the cookie right in Mr. Big's hands and he acknowledges that thereare indeed three pieces of long paper strips - fortunes - folded length-wise in halfHeather please pick out one ofthe fortunes and read it out loud to the audience.

What does this wise Oracle say first of all? She reads "YOUR FAVOURITEFOODS ARE PIZZA, KD, ICE CREAM & SAMOSAS" - just as has beendetermined randomly by the entire audience moments ago! Mr. Big ...you've had thiscookie for more than a week, right? But this audience just came up with their list offavourite things a few minutes ago!

There's another fortune Heather. Hurry. Please read that one! She reads"YOUR LUCKY NUMBERS ARE 2 10 12 23 37 41" Ahhh, I say. That's interesting.Do you ever play lucky numbers from Fortune Cookies folks? Did you pick those luckynumbers in this past week's lotto Mr. Rig? He says no. That's really unfortunate Mr.Big, because you 've had those numbers for two weeks in that Fortune Cookie and guess

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which numbers had a 20 million dollar prize the other day? I pullout of my pocket aLottery outlet prize announcement or newspaper that confirms that these are in fact thenumbers of the week's winning lottery!

Wow! There's one last fortune in your hands Mr. Big. I'm afraid to look at it.Go ahead and read it out to us. He reads, "HELP ME - I'M TRAPPED IN ACOOKIE FACfORY - MR. MAYHU"! The crowd goes wild...

All of this amounts to a fantastic prediction ROUTINE. In my view, it reallydoesn't get any better - from anyone. Triple powerful predictions, with real timevariables, all on properly printed slips of paper which are fully examinable - and Mr. Biggets to hand out cookie crumbs to the audience ...

(Note: The actual order the slips are read in is random of course so the reading sequenceabove will vary from performance to performance. Upon careful reflection however, Ithink you'll agree that each prediction is equally startling. Indeed the third revelation canbe emphasized - with greater impact - for different reasons in each case.)

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TAKING PICTURESREVEALED

Anyone who has dabbled with design duplication, including my ownIMPRESSIONABLE MIND BOARD, is well aware that such demonstrations are amongthe most effective in mentalism. Duplicating a picture, especially of something unique inan audience's mind, looks and feels like real psychic ability. This routine offers such anexperience but shared across the entire audience. I can assure you from repeatedperformances, every member of the audience zeros in on what you're drawing as theimage takes shape on your flip chart, bristol board or sketch pad. [I've included a sampleflip chart/sketch pad I use for most shows.] There is a natural curiosity as the picturetakes shape that is difficult to duplicate with a traditional Q & A presentation.

Because I typically invite someone from the audience to inspect the sketch pad orflip chart before I begin and because my eyes are obviously closed (to "concentrate")during the grasping of the images on people's minds, there is little suspicion of anygimmicks or electronics. Regardless, there isn't any! The images really do seem to beoccurring to me in real time from the collection in the sealed bag, in the centre of theaudience - or as presented, actually from their imaginations. This is a powerful andcollective design duplication thatlooks, disturbingly, like the realthing.

For me, the hardest partof presenting such an image-upon-image-upon-image designduplication effect has alwaysbeen remembering what the heckI know the images to be fromearlier! Because I like to workwith clean drawing surfaces,detailed and legible "cheat sheet"notes have never really been aviable option. Remember, thecards and paper are all fully examinable before and after the presentation. My WhiteTagger created the elegant solution which I now employ without fail! Printed on mythick magic marker, in clear print are my cues to exactly what I have to duplicate. In thepresentation above, my marker (generally the thicker, flatter, "chisel tip") is clearlylabeled HRY STCK DOG FLAT PC WINBOTL TRAY or similar. [I've included asample of what I use as well.]

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Trust me. In the heat of performance, it's amazing what the rushing mind of thementalist can forget from just a few minutes before. Unlike a White Tiger perhaps, myWhite Tagger has actually saved me on several occasions! (Sorry. I couldn't resist.) Thelabels on the markers are clear and easy to read in any lighting. You can casually peek atthem in a natural manner, at any time, as the marker approaches eye level while beingwaived in the air. The idea of such a cue on a pen or crayon is of course as old as thehills and I've no idea who credit should be given to for first dreaming the idea up. Butthanks to the way they're made, the adhesive labels from DYMO can also be easilycurled and rolled off the marker to the floor, in the end, to finish cleanly.

I've gotten use to abbreviating the information in the style suggested above.(Reading lots of "vanity" personalized license plates while driving helps to refine theprocess. My plate reads MENTALST by the way.) The little abbreviations immediatelyjog the memory and the little details like "hairy" and "flat" and "tray" help sell the imagebeyond apparent psychological forces and you can nail the particular image almostexactly - at least close enough to seem really clairvoyant..

Note: For an added touch, ifyou have the luxury of a partner or assistant to workwith you, the magic marker can be delivered to you mid-performance of course withstandardized coding that you both are comfortable with. In this way, it is possible toperform the entire PICTURE TAKING routine in real time with no pre-show on your partwhatsoever. You just take up the marker from them and run with it! They've loaded themarker with all ofyour clues.

So how do I get the images from the audience members? As you've probablyguessed, I don't call it "Picture Taking" for nothing. You TAKE their pictures! In fact,you steal them from right out of the bag when they aren't looking in the classic traditionof greats like Robert Nelson, Burling Hull, Dunninger and currently The AmazingKreskin. While this may seem embarrassingly bold to some people, it is in factremarkably simple to execute and quite deceptively practical. I must confess I learnedthe technique by simply observing the brilliant Kreskin's move (a Ill. Nelson, Burling Hulland probably Moses) over several performances. The trick is to wait patiently untilyou've collected many of the slips, ideally when you're in the back of the house - therear of your performing space. With your right side facing away from the audience yourright hand goes into the bag, removes a bunch of slips of paper and deposits them intoyour right pant or jacket pocket. From a distance, the move is practically invisible and isallover in an instant. With practice I've found it can be done in a near continuousmotion as you continue to collect more papers from the audience.

Once I have my secret stash I select a suitable young person to continue collectingand mumble something like, here why don't you collect all the slips you can - I don'twant to come near any' Curiously, after the show, people will swear that I never came incontact with the slips at all. While your young guardian continues to collect the last few,you pullout your stolen slips in private, review them and choose three or four interestingcandidates for revelation soon after. Because not all of the slips will be useable or maybe duplicate images - as will happen - having at least four slips is essential to avoid anyhassles later. You then pullout my White Tagger and tap out an abbreviated label toattach to the marker. (The washroom cubicle has always been the traditional place forsuch clandestine activity since the dawn of Mentalism!)

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[Note: Again, if you do have an assistant, s/he may do all of this instead and loadup the marker accordingly. In this way, there is absolutely no connection betweenyourself and the slips of paper in the minds of most audience members. Best of all, theentire routine can be done in real time from the stage without the need for pre-showpreparation.]

The final phase of the routine is designed of course to throw off any audiencemembers (magicians?) who may be suspecting that I'm divining slips of paper whicharen't actually still in the bag. Instead the final phase takes advantage of a force - but inthis case, a force done in the spectator's (Juan's) own hands.

While the routine doesn't necessary require this closure and often times I've left itout, wherever possible it makes for a truly baffling conclusion. The "bag" I'm using hereis in fact a double-sided switching envelope as first detailed in Tarbell (Vol. 5, Page 172)and popularized by Ted Lesley as a "Teleport Envelope" in ParaMiracles. My owncontribution here is the adaptation to a poly shipping style bag modified with a tear stripand self sealing flaps. The result is a clean and easy to set up opaque change bag whichspectators can handle freely. Yet, once they themselves have sealed it, the only way itcan be opened is with the tear strip, which automatically opens to the force side! There isnone of the fiddling associated with earlier versions of this idea and the whole thing cantruly take place in the middle of the audience as it does here. These opaque "MindChanger Bags" have secretly been favourites of my mentalist friends around the globeand I'm delighted to share them with you here. (Some of the most famous psychicsaround the world have used them on stage and live television specials. In one instance, aHollywood star found a chosen card appear in her previously empty envelope, despite thefact that the Mentalist star was on the other side of the planet where the card was chosen.)My favourite use of the envelopes is in my BIG HEADLINE PREDICTION describedelsewhere. I've included a couple of these for you to try out and more are available onrequest.

As a result, when Juan opens up the bag which he himself sealed, the onlypossible choices he can remove are force slips in the side compartment. Each of theseslips has drawing variations of a wine bottle as in the presentation described above.

I prefer to get the bag out of the audience as soon as possible which is why I askthat it be passed forward, but in fact I've never had somebody go fishing into the bag toactually look at the slips - which are of course all of wine bottles or whatever.

As an interesting subtlety I misread some of the slips from the force side of thebag once it's back into my hands. Generally these are some of the choices still printed.onmy magic marker. Certainly this adds to the mystery and makes the final slip in theaudience seem that much fairer. It also creates a nice circle to the idea that all of theaudience's choices are in the bag and are fair game.

If you ever feel the need to improvise and bluff a little on your drawings you'reallegedly picking up - I've found that iPods, Personal Computers and toilets (!) come upwith remarkable regularity. In a larger audience these can make for amusingpsychological forces should the situation warrant it! Check out your own leftovers afterevery show to get your own repeaters. You'll find the results interesting and useful.

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CRYSTAL BALLSREVEALED

One of the lovely aspects of the particular tags that your White Taggar spits out isthat they have a fine adhesive which sticks well on the inside of the ring finger, betweenthe inner and outer joint crease. Because you're not actually palming the tag, it willremain on your skin and allow your hands and fingers to move naturally. The tag willstay there as long as you wish (despite sweaty palms), but is easily disposed of whennecessary by a simple rolling action by the thumb in a downward motion. The resultingtiny "tube" will fall to the floor unnoticed and you end up completely clean. Your handcan be displayed as completely empty in the end. The scripting above gives you lots ofopportunity to cover the action.

This aspect is used to maximum advantage in CRYSTAL BALLS. Chad is ableto see the numbers on the gentlemen's cell phone because they are clearly printed on atag stuck on your ring finger! (This is a variation of a wonderful old method I firstdiscovered in an old boy's book of magic from my youth - I think it was the great BillSevem's - which used a finger palmed pip from a playing card in much the same way.)The printing is clear and easy to read thanks to your White Tagger and remains in placeas long as you need Chad to reference it. Your fingers can be spread open to hold themimed crystal ball with far greater ease than ifyou were actually palming something.

I've found thatwithout exception, the"instant stooge" ploy worksextremely well and that thechosen member of theaudience will play alongwith no resistance. Toinsure this, my instructionsare reasonably clear...please gaze through. thecrystal ball and see if yOIlcan see the first three digitson this gentlemen's cellphone. When they lookthrough the imaginary ball,they alone will see the

printed numbers. They get it! As added insurance, I've introduced the spectator, in thiscase Chad, as a gifted psychic and it is clear to him that I will be aiding him to look greatin front of the audience. By flattering him and assisting him along the way, rather thanteasing him as many mentalists tend to do, my spectator understands implicitly to playalong and all will go well for them.

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The "miss" on the [mal number is nonetheless a little subtlety to make the endingthat much stronger and gives you as a performer a final kick to increase your credibility.This also plays with the "too perfect" theory and provides a little redemption at the finishof the piece. The result is a more dramatic conclusion to the predictable finish by thetime that Chad (or whoever) has already got nine nwnbers correct.

The very final twist is a lovely touch based on idea given to me by Uri Gellar'ssuccessor, Lior Suchard...

The last nwnber dialed on the audience member's phone is of course - dialed byyou! Before the show you find someone with a cell phone (or two different people as aback up if you can) and ask them if you can "try out their phone to see if it will work inhere". I've found this is a perfectly reasonable request as many phones do indeed havedifficulty working inside some theatres, clubs and homes. In actuality you simply dialyour own cell phone number and let the call be placed. This takes only a few momentsas only one "ring" will do the trick.

As a result, the last number dialed on this spectator's phone will correspond toyour own - providing they don't make any more calls before your show, which is areasonable assumption. The tag affixed to the inside of your ring finger is simply yourown, previously printed. I carry these prepared labels in my wallet for impromptu stand-up performances.

Through the magic of Call Display, because the nwnber you dialed was allowedto ring at least once, the cell number it was called from will now be displayed on YOUl'phone as the last nwnber incoming. By leaving the ringer turned to "silent", backstage(or in your pocket), your phone will thus quietly capture a private cell number that youraudience member has never shared with you! They will be just as astonished as the restof the audience that you know their nwnber!

Typically, in a full show, I use my White Tagger backstage to print out a tag withthis private number to stick on my right ring finger. In this way, when I look back intothe crystal ball in my right hand - I can comfortably see the phone nwnber I need for theclosing piece ... and ditch it at the right moment with a roll of my thumb to the floor or themicrophone or my pant leg.

CHINESE ORACLEREVEALED

On many levels, for me, CHINESE ORACLE is the perfect prediction effect. Theproblem with many headline prediction presentations - including my own in MESSINGWITH MINDS - is that for the audience, it all comes down to the reliability of thedignitary who allegedly got the sealed prediction in advance. If spectators have anyconcern that the person guarding the prediction is in caboots with the performer, some ofthe impact is lost. The same is somewhat true if a spectator guesses (correctly'} that thesealed envelope was tampered with, just before show time. With CHINESE ORACLE

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however, two of the three phases are based on outcomes determined collectively by theaudience themselves - in real time during the performance - after they have observed thesealed prediction (i.e. the Fortune Cookie) and they have kept a collective eye on it.Furthermore, with all prediction effects, spectators inevitably wonder about using suchprophesy to pick winning lottery numbers. (I'm asked this EVERY time, withoutexception.) So in this presentation this element is included but in a light hearted way -they are just lucky numbers that happen to have turned out VERY lucky. I'm allowed tobe just as surprised and as delighted as the audience, without really having themoralllogical dilemma of apparently knowing something so valuable ahead of time.

Of course this is also a lot of fun from an entertainment standpoint because of thewhole tie-in to the nonsense of Fortune Cookies in general. Kenton Knepper, DoccHilford and Jay Sankey (to name three) have all played with the theme in the past. [Note:Kenton's "Slip of a Reading" effect for example would make for a delicious andcustomizable tie-in with a White Tagger! You'll find an excerpt from his "LastingEffects" book, in the section following.] For performers who don't have a culturalconnection to such things or who just don't like the Fortune Cookie premise, obviouslythe "container" can be changed to be anything you wish. As I mentioned earlier, the"Time Capsule" premise is especially appealing to me for example, or the surprise giftwrapped package. Obviously it's possible to craft these out of the Model Magic materialas well.

So let me break down the various secrets behind CHINESE ORACLE to helpmake it all come together as I've described. It's a tad complex. For novelty sake I'llexplain these things in a series of Questions and Answers ...

Question: Oracle, where do such large Fortune Cookies come from? Where canI get them?

Answer: You make them! You don't have to buy them anywhere. They'rereally quite easy even for baking-challenged magi. As Master Hofzinger might direct,you'll need:

~ I egg white~ 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract~ I pinch salt

~ 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour~ 1/4 cup white sugar

Then you must:

I. Preheat your oven to 400"F. Butter a cookie sheet. Print out copies of one fortuneon your WHITE TAGGER of a set length. This slip will read YOURFAVOURITE FOODS ARE PIZZA, KD, ICE CREAM & SAMOSAS or similar.Generously grease 2 cookie sheets.

2. Mix the egg white and vanilla until foamy but not stiff. Sift the flour, salt, andsugar and blend into the egg white mixture.

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3. Place teaspoonsfull of the batter at least 6 inches apart on one of the preparedcookie sheets. Tilt the sheet to move the batter into round shapes at least 5 inchesin diameter. Be careful to make batter as round and even as possible. Do not maketoo many, because the cookies have to be really hot to form them and once theycool it is too late. Start with 2 or 3 to a sheet and see how many you can do.

4. Bake for 5 minutes or until cookie has turned a golden color 1/2 inch wide aroundthe outer edge of the circle. The center will remain pale. While one sheet isbaking, prepare the other.

5. Remove from oven and quickly move cookie with a wide spatula and place upsidedown on a wooden board. Quickly place the fortune on the cookie, close to themiddle and fold the cookie in half. Place the folded edge across the rim of ameasuring cup and pull the pointed edges down, one on the inside of the cup andone on the outside. Place folded cookies into the cups of a muffin tin or eggcarton to hold their shape until firm.

Alternatively, a terrific alternative to actually baking real cookies is to form yourcookie props from children's modeling clay. The best possible material I've used iscalled "Model Magic" (how appropriate!) from CrayolalBinney & Smith. (Seehttp://www.crayolacornlproducts) Most toy shops, art supply stores and office supplystores (such as Staples) stock it - or you can buy it on-line. It's lightweight and spongyand dries to a consistency that's kind of cookie-ish. It will break in your hands just as areal cookie does. It will also keep its form indefinitely and doesn't crumble or fall apartbetween shows. Its only handicap is that it is white in colour, although it can be painted.

In my experience this ishardly an issue.

Question: ButOracle, how do you get theaudience to choose the foodchoices pre-printed by theWHITE TAGGER - and"baked" into the FortuneCookie before the showeven starts?

Answer: Thechoices on the label in thecookie are in fact forced.Members of the audience

will come up with dozens of their personal preferences and these are indeed dropped intoa "Zip lock" type bag which circulates through out the crowd. However the bag is oneof my very useful MIND CHANGER BAGS and is, in fact, a completely clear "changebag". These bags look quite innocent - unlike most change bags available to magicians -but contain a secret side compartment. [I've given you a couple to work with and disposeof when they start looking worn out. More are available on request.] The four forcedfood items are written by me in advance of the show to correspond to the choices insidethe Fortune Cookie.

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Because of the design of the bags, these forced choices can remain "locked" in theside panel without fear of detection. People can handle the bag and drop in their slipswithout noticing the few slips off to the side. The force slips ofKD, Samosas etc. can beloaded into the side panel sereptiously, once a few of the real slips have been collected.

In my experience, you can get away with pre-loading them before the show. Inthe confusion ofpeople writing and handing in their slips from different parts of the roomit's easy to just pullout the bag and get on with it. Folks just seem to assume that thefour slips in the bag are from people other than themselves - especially if you startcollecting from the rear. This is generally how I get the job done!

To actually force the slips of paper you want the audience member to pick, youapparently zip the bag closed and give the bag a shake, a rattle and a roll. It is thenlogical for you to unlock the zip closure and then to open the force side of the bag. Bydirecting the spectator with the words Heather, reach down inside the bag and pull outjust four slips. Just the four please! That's exactly what she'll do. If you ask them toclose their eyes and reach into the bag with one hand as you hold it high in the air, thistoo will throw them off and they will easily pullout just what you want them to.(Spectators tend to be nervous on stage and with their eyes closed they will quickly latchonto the four slips of paper without much hesitation.)

Question: Okay Oracle, I understand how the Fortune Cookie can contain one ofthe tags, the one about the food choices, but how do the other two get in there if I don'tbake them in?

Answer: Elementary,my dear Grasshopper. Thetags are never actually IN theFortune Cookie. They're INyour hands as you break openthe cookie. The labels fromthe WHITE TAGGER arepleasantly rigid when foldedin half lengthwise - like afortune. As a result, they canbe comfortably finger palmed between the inner and outer joint crease on each of yourtwo ring fingers. As you break open the cookie and the pieces fall into the spectators

outstretched palms, yousimply release your palminggrip and they fall into the pilealong with the one tagalready there. The illusion isperfect! Even from up closethey appear to emerge fromwithin the cookie itself. Infact, the large cookiecompletely covers the tags inyour hand as you're holding

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it and the whole process seems completely clean as it crumbles apart. As they say, you'llfool yourself (Jay Sankey's done similar things with a bread roll on his hit TVO showSpellz.)

Question: So the lottery numbers are just printed up by my WHITE TAGGERbefore the show and then added in when I break the cookie - from one of my hands?

Answer: Exactly.

Question: Wow! Then how the heckdo I get the other printed tag with the namealready on it? Surely that's not forced, Oracle.

Answer: Correct! Your WHITETAGGER also has a delightful memory feature,whether it is on or off, and it remembers the lastthing that has been typed into it. Before your

show you make sure that HELP ME - I'MTRAPPED IN A COOKIE FACTORY-MR. is already to go for printing.All that's missing is the last five characterswhich form the name.

Question: Holy cow! So let meguess. You push five buttons on the WHITETAGGER and then press the Print and Cutbutton and it delivers the tag on your table or in your bag? And the whole long messageis fully printed out. ..

Answer: Well Grasshopper, if you want the solo version of CHINESEORACLE, yes, that's what you do. It's a bit knacky but thanks to the unique design ofthe QX-50, you can actually do this with one hand and one finger in a couple of seconds

- right under people's noses. LiorSuchard for one, prefers this route.

Personally, I like the easierpath to revelation. I have adevotee backstage listening in onthe show. When I say I see you'vecome up with MAYHU. I wonderhaw you might pronounce that.''May Huu" I guess. How veryodd It actually sounds a tiny bitChinese. How appropriate. M-A-Y-H-U. Please take a magicmarker and jot that name dawn on

18

this flip chart so everyone in the audience can see it. MR. Mayhu would be great ... thisgives my assistant all kinds of time to clearly hear the five letters, punch them in anddeliver to me a printed and folded tag - along with the magic marker (or whatever) I'vereferenced. It's simple and it works. (There's simply no "heat" on the performer at thispoint of course as the Fortune Cookie has not yet been opened. There is still timemisdirection because the food choices are yet to be made.)

Question: So I just finger palm the two tags, the lottery number one and thename one, in each hand, and then break open the cookie at the appropriate time, creatingthe illusion that all three were in the Fortune Cookie the whole time and for days?

Answer: Just so, Grasshopper.

Question: I'm overwhelmed with the simple yet elegant solution to thisincredible mystery, Oracle. The WHITE TAGGER is indeed a wondrous beast, just as itis. But I have one last question if it is not too impertinent of me to ask. Is there any waythat it would be possible to break open the Fortune Cookie at the very start ... before anyfood has been chosen by the audience and even before the name has been decided by thecommittee on stage ... yet still the labels would be correct? That would truly be a miracleof a semi-religious nature!

Answer: You've asked a very challenging question Grasshopper, but the answeris YES! I have indeed performed the CHINESE ORACLE in this way and it is trulyMIND BLOWING! But to learn this yourselfyou must seek out one more master for thisadded element. His name is Devin Knight and he calls this lesson the "Glass BoxPrediction". Master Knight's wisdom combined with the QX-50's magical length settingfeature - make this astonishment possible. Seek him out for this wisdom, Grasshopper!

Question: Thank your Oracle!

Answer: May your audiences thank you for it, too, Grasshopper.

And so there you have it. A strong multi-phase prediction ROUTINE that willchange lives - hopefully yours too!

Note: Quite seriously, if you don't already have the Glass Box Prediction you canreach Devin Knight at devin@zoominternet.net. I'll be happy to clarify its application tofhe Chinese Oracle upon request. The combination of the two takes CHINESE ORACLEto the next level ...

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SLIP OF A READINGFrom the book LASTING EFFECTSby Kenton Knepper

Here's a bonus effect ideally suited for White Tagger handlers, compliments of my oracleand friend, Kenton Knepper. Creative mentalists will see some interesting possibilities ofcreating a more customized (and accurate") ending - even printed omfor a selectedspectator ifyou like with just a little advanced preparation.

"Cynics think that intuitive readings are like fortune cookies ..~ .0"- They imagine readings are general and can fit just anyone.

a. Cynics think people make readings fit them. We'll see aboutthat!" .....

The performer spreads little sheets of fortune cookie type papers along a table, writingside down.

"Let's create a reading. Use your psychic powers, if you have them, and hand me sixslips of paper, one at a time. Don't look at them yet. We won't stand for your cheating!We'll check your abilities once you are finished"

The participant selects various unseen papers and they are put into a paperclip to makeone completed reading. The clipped papers are handed to another person to read.

"Read these aloud and let's see if the person admits this reading more or less fits theiractual personality or life circumstance."

The second person reads the papers, and while some might argue the rearlings are a littlegeneral in nature, they do seem to fit the person who chose these papers.

"Perhaps you feel this rearling has been too general, or that you could have chosen otherpapers that would have made a better reading for you. The only objective way to checkyour abilities is to look at the papers you did not select."

The other papers on the table are read by the person and found to be anything but fitting.One paper reads, "You wear green lipstick" and the Caucasian woman certainly does notwear that! "You are a Black Asian Man," reads another paper - not even close. "Yourshoes are made of paper", "You have been smoking coffee" and other bizarre and entirelyunfitting prerlictions are revealed as the ones left behind.

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"It would seem to me that you selected the only writings that come close to fitting yourunique personality. Perhaps there is something to this after all. Or maybe it was all luck"

What 1 like most about this commercial effect is the constant subtext that takes askeptical assumption and makes it out to be ludicrous in an indirect way. The workingis easy enough. You have a dozen or so funny and outrageous predictions that areunlikely to fit anyone. You secretly select a person for this effect that is sure to nevermatch any of these predictions (a white woman so the black man prediction could notlikely be, for instance)

Six other, more common cold reading predictions, are used and clipped into a paperclipahead of time These are finger palmed. A second paperclip is attached to an elastic cord.This is Corinda's marvelous idea. The chosen papers are put into the paperclip that is alsosecretly a pull. The same hand holding this pull-clip holds the finger palmed predictions.After six papers are collected and put one at a time into the clip, the performer states thatwill be enough for the test.

Turning to another spectator, the performer says that they ought to act as a third party (forfairness), and read the predictions selected During this tum, the pull is released and thechosen papers go up the sleeve or jacket as the finger palmed papers are extended to beread. It is important to encourage the "psychic spectator" to consider how each predictionread might actually fit her. In other words, you play this part as if it is a legitimatereading. No matter what debate about the accuracy ensues, the punch of comedy makes afine bit of entertainment for all in the end, proving the spectator was psychic. Note toothat this ending indirectly implies that any cynicism is wrong and that we might need tokeep an open mind. All readings might be better than we first assume, more accuratethan they appear on the surface, and so on. Devious subtext is definitely at play.

It's a bit of entertainment that can provoke interesting discussion at a party or restaurant,especially at a Chinese restaurant where fortune cookies are common. Using the notion offortune cookie readings makes sense of the otherwise odd slips of paper. Such readings incookies are already considered general or humorous from the start, so the ending is a realturnabout, while remaining in context theatrically.

Some Odd and Funny Paper Slip Examples

You wear green lipstick.

Your coat is made of cat fur.

Your pants are purple and green stripes.

You were bom a Black Asian Man.

You bave a busby beard on your face.

Your eyelids are pierced with knitting needles.

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You have blue polka dots on your face.

Your shoes are made of paper.

Your socks are woolen mittens.

You have been smoking coffee.

Your underwear is made of glass.

Your favorite hat is a bucket.

Your favorite drink is meat.

Some Basic and Generalized Cookie Style Readings

You're smarter than you think.

Insecurity is your biggest hurdle.

Your fmances will improve greatly.

Don't waste time with self-pity.

You constantly struggle for self-improvement.

You see beauty where others do not.

Avoid negative thinking.

It's right in front of you.

You understand marketable ideas.

It's behind you now.

You believe in the goodness of mankind.

Now is about the time some critic snidely remarks that I apparently endorse all that ishorrid in readings As a few critics have entirely misunderstood practical entertainmentvalue in such effects from my previous writings, allow me to point out what I thoughtwas obvious.

Such effects are meant as entertainment, not legitimate psychic readings.

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Further, the subtext and indirect commentary is often more powerful than directlydodging and weaving to appear to make the point seriously. I am all for readings that aremore serious in tone, if they be woven with respect. But often the very critics who bash apiece of entertainment as being anti-readings are the same ones who insist that realreadings are nonexistent or that people who have such beliefs are morons. Unless ofcourse, they listen to those very finely honed readings as performed by the critic.

There is a place for seriously addressing readings and all manner of more esotericthought. This effect happens to be one that is not like that. Not directly, anyway

Frankly I believe that there are times when mirth can make a serious point better thanself-important and heavy-handed readings. Good comedians and entertainers of all kindsare aware that when people laugh at an idea, they let down their defenses against thatidea Often the minds of the public are changed by laughter or humor

Insight can be had or shared with a wink.

If you have yet to learn that, I hope you too will soon discover the truth in thedance of humor, It is among the tools of any esoteric performer, real 01' imagined,

Note: One more idea 10 consider in addition to Kenton's use ofa paperclip P1l1lhere, is to take a fresh look at Jay Sankey's paperclip switch This would fit inbeautifullyfor this routine and it's delightfully sneaky...

One more thing. I have another terrific bonus effect to share with you based uponGeorge Schindler's "Watch Your Thoughts". It's a killer routine which I've dubbed"Cellular Thoughts" and it uses a borrowed cell phone and your White Tagger in a ratherinteresting way. You'll love this and will carry it with you as one of your favouriteimpromptu pieces. Send me an e-mail with the subject "CELLULAR THOUGHTS"and include your name and the serial number from the inside front cover of thismanuscript I'll forward it to you right away as an attachment. While you're at it, tell mehow you're using your White Tagger! You can reach me at james@magical.com ... Ilook forward to hearing from you.

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CARE AND FEEDING OF YOURWHITE TAGGER:

~---------e~ --

24

25

, 1 ; :! I 3 4 .' 6 7A tfi ~ ! ! A ~ -" (9B 't ,,' t ~ -+ ~ Il-T'"c: (JJ ! X, "-. i3'. T3. .~.'D 1-.0"1 -1" c::;, 0 'i '~ l't..:..-.

, "

E ": it v @F Q{( 0 0 ~ -,J ~*G ' s

If' " ,= < >

,

I ( , ) f 1 # 0 FINSTALLING BATTERIES:

L On the back of the unit, push the tab and lift the battery compartment cover off (fig,A)2, Match the + and - marks on the batteries to the + and - marks in the batterycompartment case and insert 5 "AA" alkaline batteries, Start with the single battery in theupper slot, then slide the second and third under the bridge, Slot in the fourth and fifthbatteries,

3, Press the battery cover back into place, Remove the batteries if the unit is to remainunused for an extended period of time,

INSTALLING LABEL CARTRIDGES:

L Press the tab on the front side of the cassette cover (figure B) and open cover. Insertthe cassette, The cassette inserts with the tape exiting to the top of the machine. Gentlypress on the center of the tape until it clicks into position.

26

2. Close the cassette cover.

me DlSPLAY:

The display will show 9 characters including the cursor and feature indicators that arehighlighted when a feature is activated. . ~

12345571

Feature indicators include:

CAPS Characters are typed as capital letters

< - > Fixed length is activated

B The label will be printed in BIG FONT

~ The label will be printed in a certain type of boxSTYLE The label will print with the style selected

123 Number lock

ABC The text will be underlined

If an incorrect key sequence is pressed, the display will flash.

mE FUNCTION KEYS:

ON/OFF~ums the unit on or off. When turning the unit on, a DYMO welcome screen will bedisplayed for a few seconds. The unit will automatically turn off after 2 minutes if nokeys are pressed. The last label will be saved and displayed when the unit is turned onagain.

[Note: If the batteries are removed for more than a few seconds the text and settings willnot be saved.]

CANCELSThe e key enables you to exit from a menu or to cancel an action.[Note: The printing function can not be cancelled.]

DELETE~Press the~ key to delete the character on the left of the cursor.CLEARPress the e key and the~ key to clear off the text from the display. This also willrestore the style and size to the default settings.

27

NUMBER LOCKgWhile this feature is active, only numbers will be typed

SIZE_~n_. ~_~ ~, ~

....'-

1. Press the e key to display the size menu:narrovv(condensed)normalwide (extended)B big font (full print height)

2. Use the > and < of the Navigation Key to scroll the cursor to the size desired.

3. Press It?> to select or press IE3 Key to exit menu and return to prior setting.4. If Big Font is selected, B will be shown on the display.

5, Label prints in selected size.

[Note: For 2-line labels, each size will be half their normal height. Big Font size is notavailable for 2-line labels.)

STYLEC:~)1. Press and < of the Navigation00scroll the cursor to the style desired.3. Press (2) to select a style or press ,"~Key to exit menu and return to prior setting.

4. The label prints in the selected style. Each style is independent and cannot becombined with other styles or with Big Font setting.

BOXIUNDERLINE 1. Press the Key to display the box/underline menu which shows 8 box options:Text without a boxUnderlineSquare boxSquare box with rounded cornersShaded boxPointed boxZigzag boxCrocodile box

Fl. DYIIOA DYIIO-C~C CEIDI[ 0ii'iiiJDYMO>I 0 : DYIlIO \

28

2. Use the > and < of the Navigation Key to scroll the cursor to the desired box orunderline selection.

3. Press IE:?) to select or press 8 Key to exit menu and return to prior setting.4. The~ will be highlighted on the display to show feature is activated5. Text will print on the label in the selected format.

[Note: The underline and box settings cannot be combined or used with the Big Font sizeselection.]

EXTENDED MEMORY

Adding to the buffer/ label breaksThe extended memory can store up to 70 characters for a maximum of 20 labels.

I. Press and hold the Ic:? Key and the e Key to insert a label break.2. The --11-- will show on the display in between the labels to indicate the beginning! endof each label that is stored in the memory.

3. Press the e key + < to move to the beginning of the buffer or~) + > to move tothe end of the buffer. The labels will remain in the memory buffer, even if the unit isturned off. If you try to type when the memory buffer is full, the message ERROR 4 willbe displayed. Delete part or all of the text in the buffer in order to store a new label in thememory.

4. To clear the entire memory buffer, press the a + BREVIEW

This feature allows you to review all the text/labels stored in the extended memory.I. Press H Key and e Key.2. The text will scroll across the display.3. Presse Key to exit.LENGTH

Length is automatically set based on the text entered, but length can be adjusted ifdesired.1. Press and hold the e Key and the K.::5 Key to set a fixed length.2. The screen will display X.X inches (or XX mm depending on the language selected).3. The length of the label can be increased or decreased in steps of 0.1 inches or 2 mmby using the A or V arrows on the Navigation Key. The maximum length is 12 inches or300mm. Press I(2j when the correct length is selected. 4. The fixed length indicator willhighlight on the display. If the selected length is too short for the label, the display willflash ERROR 5.

29

5. To return to automatic length default setting, press and hold the SKey and the 6Key.

[Note: For a fixed length label, such as I use for Fortune Cookie slips, the text is alwayscentered.]

TEXT

FIRST LINESECOND LINE

COPIES

9 copies of a label can be printed at one time.1. Enter the text for the label.2. Press and hold the f::"~Key and the e Key.FIRSTUNESECOND LINETEXT3. The screen will display n= I.4. Use the A or v arrows on the Navigation Key to set the desired number of copies (1-9).5. Once you have entered the correct number of copies presse and the labels willprint the text. The labels will print in one continuous label with a vertical chain mark toindicate where to manually cut the labels.

FEED

Additional blank label tape (1/2 inch or l2mm) will exit from the unit when thee Key and the~ Key are pressed.

SYMBOLS

1. Press thee Key.2. The display will show: A and 7 symbols.3. Use the Navigation Key to cursor to the desired symbols. The A or v arrows willscroll through the various symbol rows.4. Once the cursor is under the desired symbol, press ao enter it into text. The lastsymbol row selected will be displayed the next time the symbol menu is entered.

Changing the LanguageThe labelmaker default setting is English with additional international character sets thatcan be accessed by selecting a different language. The selection of a language defineswhich characters (see next section), measurement setting and currency symbols can beaccessed. For example, if Spanish is selected then the diacritical characters for Spanishwill be available first with the measurements in millimeters and the currency pesos.

To change the hmgllage setting:1. Press the

2. An abbreviation of the language will appear.US = EnglishF=FrenchE= SpanishUN! = All Diacritical Characters3. Use the A or v arrows on the Navigation Key to scroll to the desired language.4. Press to select. If the displayshows: abc ~123 the label will print as:

Abc123

[Note: Big Font and vertical styles are not available in 2-line printing, ERROR 6 willflash if Big Font or vertical are active when 2-line printing is selected.

Printing Your Label

PRINT PREVIEW

Preview label before printing by pressing and holding the e Key and S Key. Thelabel text will scroll across the display once. You can also scroll manually through thelabel using the < or > arrows on the Navigation Key. If you want to edit the label, use thenavigationKey to move the cursor through the text to the place you want, then type or delete.

PRINTING A LABEL

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Type in the text for your label and presse'Key.

PRINTING A LABEL FROM THE MEMORY

1. Press and hold the 8 Key and e Key to view the labels stored in memory.2. Use the < or > arrows on the Navigation Key to position cursor inside the text ofthe label desired to print.3. Presse During printing the message PRiNT... will be displayed.CUTTING THE LABEL

~After the label is printed use the cutter button on the left-hand side of the unit and pressinwards, towards the machine (see Figure E). Labels have easy peel split back tape foreasy removal of the tape backing.

DO NOT PUSH THE CUTTER BUTTON WHILE THE LABEL IS BEING PRINTED,THIS WILL CAUSE LABELS TO JAM AND DAMAGE THE UNIT.

PRINT CONTRAST

1. Press e Key and the 6 Key simultaneously.2. The display will show the 5 contrast symbols.3. Use the < and > arrows on the Navigation Key to select a lighter or darker setting.4. Press IE?) to select desired contrast setting.TROUBLE SHOOTING: PROBLEM ... SOLUTION

Error]Tape jammed or low battery ... Remove cassette to clear the tape jam. Replace batteries.Error 2Big Font cannot be selected... Select another format with characters in memoryError 3Big Font cannot be selected with style/box/underline/Z line or lower case Selectanother format.Error 4Memory buffer is full .. , Delete some or all of the buffer textError 5Text is bigger than defined length ... Choose a longer label lengthError 62 line cannot be selected with the format ... Select another formatDisplay BlinksThe cursor cannot move further to the left or right ... Wrong key pressed in editing mode.Wrong key pressed in menu.No display. Check that machine is on . Check batteries and replace.No response from keys Remove batteries and re-insert after a short period of time. Themachine will reset and return to default settings.No printing or poor text Check batteries and replace if necessary. Check installation ofcassette. Clean print head regularly. See figure D.

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..AFTERTHOUGHTS

You're now armed with an incredible utility device and some of the strongest andmost entertaining pieces of Mentalism available! Your WHITE TAGGER willundoubtedly give you many years of remarkable assistance- quietly in the backgroundThese effects described in this manuscript are only the beginning of some remarkablethings that are possible. I hope they serve you well and help you to blow the minds ofyour audiences. I also hope that they will be the foundation for remarkable pieces ofmentalism that you develop yourself.

Special thanks to Kenton Knepper, Haim Goldenberg, Bill Abbott, David Peck,Richard Sanders, Patrik Kuffs, James Allan, Lior Suchard, Rob Evans, Christina Kaya,Christopher Caldwell, Andrew Gerard, Robert Wong, Gordon Precious and TonyIacoviello for all their feedback and inspiration on this project. My appreciation as wellgoes out to the Oompa Loompas who have made your unit and put your package together and who continue to amaze me with their patience for my various brainstorms.

I've set you up with enough supplies in this package to serve you well for severalperformances. When you're ready for more, replacement kits with the transparent andthe opaque MIND CHANGER BAGS are available from your favourite dealer or myself.Standard DYMO refill cassettes for the QX-50 labels are available from office supplyretailers around the world, or you're welcome to contact me for help. If you have anytechnical questions or problems or simply need service for your QX-50 itself, help isavailable from support@dymo.com. (You'll find your serial number inside the cassettecover.)

Let me know how you make out with your WHITE TAGGER and what routinesyou develop on your own. Please don't hesitate to contact me with your suggestions orthoughts.

James Biss

james@magical.com98 Guildwood DriveHamilton, ONCANADAL9C 6S4

P.S. Ask your favourite dealer about the IMPRESSIONABLE MIND BOARD (ifyouhaven't got your own yet) and my new book MIND BLOWING...

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