Hello Friends

Welcome to another issue of the Magic Roadshow. If this is your first issue then I want to take a moment to WELCOME you to Magic's #1 free Newsletter. It's an honor to have you here..

Sorry for the slight delay getting this issue out, but I've been swamped. I always hope to publish an issue once every three weeks. Two weeks is optimum, but I can't keep that schedule at the moment.

I'm excited about this issue, as it's one of the biggest yet.. I've found a number of links that I think are unique to the magic world-at-large. You can find links to about 15 different free magic ebooks and effects, -IF- you take your time and explore the links I've provided.

As a bonus to make up for the 5 day delay publishing this issue I'm going to give you a link to download one of my ebooks, free of course, that you would normally have to pay to download. Although it's not directly associated with magic, it is on the fringe of NLP.

I've also written what is, without a doubt, my meanest article ever. It borders on abuse.. So, if you're easily offended, just skip it and go ahead to the resources. You won't hurt MY feelings..

Remember, if you have any comments, complaints, rants or raves... EMAIL ME

I would greatly appreciate it if you would share this issue with a friend, especially while the link to my ebook is still live. I'm constantly striving to increase my subscriber base, which is over Four Thousand at the moment, and increasing in leaps and bounds. This past week saw the largest number of new subscribers ever.. As I don't try to profit from the Roadshow, I take anything earned through affiliate links and reinvest it into the newsletter. Although it's FREE to you, it's not free to publish. You'd be surprised at the expenses involved in keeping the wheels on the Roadshow. No, we ain't going broke, but I would like to make it more visually appealing with a few custom graphics.

If you're ever in beautiful Asheville NC the third week of the month you're more than welcome to attend a meeting of the Western North Carolina Society of American Magician's (SAM) and meet my friends and I. We will make you feel at home, and you DON'T have to be a member of SAM to attend. Get all the details at:

www.WNCSAM.com

Now, on with the (Road) Show..

---------------
In This Issue
---------------

*One Mean Article - Not for the Easily Offended

~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~

One Mean Article..

OK.. I'm about to reveal the thoughts of a hardened editor/manager/former cop that some of you will not agree with, and others won't want to hear. Some of my opinions will be rejected by the magic community and others will be viewed as the ramblings of an imbecile.. I'm honestly NOT trying to hurt anyones feelings, but I am willing to go out on a limb to further the career of some of my readers and friends.

Are you to 'appearance-challenged' to be a successful magician? Are you too short? Do you have a voice that makes adults think of fingernails on a chalkboard and children run for cover? Do you fall short of the appearance 'standards' set forth by magicians like Copperfield, Burton, Angel, Blackstone Jr., and Siegfried and Roy?

Yes, the public gives certain magicians a 'pass' because of their natural attributes? It's not fair.. but it's true.

America in particular loves for their stars to be tall, slim, good-looking, and possess a deep, masculine voice. They love for their stars to have sex-appeal and beautiful smiles. And in some instances they love for their stars to have complex relationships with their significant others, particularly if the significant other is also a star or, perhaps, a super model..

And I promise you that if you're competing for a position against a magician that has the above features in spades, you're on the edge of rejection before you set foot on the stage.

It's not always about the magic. Sometimes it's about more complex issues that pit one man against another in a visual showdown that gives your opponent the advantage and credits him for certain features that have absolutely nothing to do with magic.

Normally, at this point I would feel guilty and scrap the article in leu of hurting someone's feelings.. but not this time. I believe in what I'm saying because it's based on personal observations over a long period of time and over a variety of circumstances. I've been on both ends of the spectrum.

During my career in law enforcement I had the opportunity of dealing with, and closely observing over three hundred guys, each of whom wanted to advance their careers, sometimes at the expense of a fellow officer. I'm not implying that police officers are different from the public in general because what I'm about to describe happens every day across the complete spectrum of commerce and public service. I saw guys promoted because they had a deep voice and were perceived as being authoritative. I saw guys who were six foot four promoted over more qualified guys who were five foot eight. I saw guys who were the model of perfection in a uniform promoted over better officers who were 280 pounds and struggled to keep their John-Brown belts above their .. uh.. private parts.. And I saw these things over and over.

Discrimination?.. Definitely. Human nature?.. For sure.

How many of you have had fellow employees promoted over you who were not qualified to sharpen your pencils? Maybe you thought they got the promotion because they 'kissed up' - and maybe they did.. Maybe you were convinced you were better qualified, had a better resume, was more intelligent - and certainly more knowledgeable. But, ultimately, their superiors saw them as better qualified because of a variety of physical and personality related attributes, many of which tie back to some of the characteristics I mentioned earlier.. better smile, better laugh, better looking, and better dressed.

I'm sure you're wondering where the heck this is going.. and how it possibly relates to you and your magic. Hold on for another minute or two..

We are ALL influenced by appearances and personality traits. Agents are influenced, talent scouts are influenced, CEO's and business owners are influenced.

Friends, there's a world of reasons why other magicians are selected for performances, birthday parties, cruise ships or trade shows that you honestly believed you had sewed-up. Many times it's NOT that they were better magicians.. it's that they were better prepared to convince the decision-maker that they should have the job. Unfortunately for you, 'better prepared' sometimes means better looking or better personality. As someone in Hollywood would say.. " they were more visually appealing than you.."

So, let's assume for a moment that, like 98% of us, you're not the 6'3'' guy with dark,thick hair, a smile to die for, a build that lets you wear clothes like a model, and a personality that makes everyone want to be your friend. Lets assume you're an average guy, with average looks, who only wants a fair shot. I continually use the word 'guy' because women understand exactly what I'm writing about. Women understand that success is often associated with looks, and if they're competing with a better-looking woman for a job they need to be better dressed or have a better personality to be seriously considered. Guys, on the other hand, always think in terms of outright competition. They think if they're the more talented magician - they deserve the job. Guys DO NOT pay attention to the fine details like women do..

What does all this mean to you? It means there's a 98% chance you're losing work to less qualified magicians. You're losing work to guys who's only superior attribute is that they are more visually appealing..

I'm going to take a quick side-step here.. Some of you are actually shooting yourselves in the foot because of some goofy character you've created that no one finds particularly appealing, and if you didn't have enough problems, now you have two obstacles to overcome. Think of all the major magicians you know and count the number that rely on a 'character' to enhance their performances. Oh, there's a few guys like Silly Billy, who succeeds because of his grasp on childrens psychology, Steven Bargatze, because of his almost Don Rickles approach to children, a couple of 'charming gambler' types like Martin Nash and Whit Haydn, both of whom have the 'look' down pat, and a crazy or two.. like the Amazing Johnathan. Each of these performers have established a character that's oddly different, but still likeable. They didn't create a character to hide behind, but one that transforms them into a UNIQUE PERFORMER. All of these guys perform magic that is ENHANCED by their character. Whit Haydn can't perform Johnathan's style of magic, it's totally out of character.. and Johnathan certainly wouldn't look right trying to come across as a gambler. Bottom line is.. you can't be a character simply for the sake of being a character. There has to be a purpose behind your character, and it has to seriously add to your performance and not be intended as a mask to hide your weaknesses..

It's not necessary for you to become totally unique, but it is one way to stand out from the crowd. After all, talent scouts are always looking for an act that's 'different'. And performers who are unique are NOT judged by the same standards as the rest of us. Physicality, especially if you can over-emphasize your differences, can be a wonderful tool.. Look at what Carrot Top has done with a head full of red hair or what Phyllis Diller did with her less-than-flattering looks.. It was their differences that made them stand out from the rest of the paper-cutter, good looking performers. They found a way to eliminate the edge folks grant to better-looking performers, and that's what this article is all about; eliminating the edge.

Back to the 'visually appealing' thing.. It's human nature, and it sells. How are TV shows cast? Good-looking lead guys, attractive ladies, cute kids. Newest shows in Vegas, Hans Kloc and Pam Anderson, and 'Believe' with Criss Angel, confirm what I'm trying to say about folks wanting their performers to be visually appealing.

Realistically, how can you make yourself more attractive as a performer? Like Popeye says.. " I yam what I yam.."

Half of the major performers in Las Vegas have overcome just that to become quite successful. I've already named some of the genetically blessed performers, but what about some of the guys like you and I ? As you read what I'm about to write, I want you to think about how these performers are perceived. All are great performers, and all have found a way to make themselves stand out from all the genetically and cosmetically enhanced performers.. ( Yes friends.. some go under the knife because their appearance is so much a part of who they are..)

One of my favorite Vegas performers is Mac King. Mac's a regular kind of guy. But what about Mac makes him unique? Undoubtely, it's his humor. Anything he lacks in any genetic category he more than makes up for with humor and personality. Mac has found his own way to compete against the pretty boys of magic. The same could be said for another of my favorite performers, Michael Finney. He honed his humor in comedy clubs and then developed an act he hasn't had to change for years. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of humor or what it can do for you as a performer. If you truly want to level the playing field, work on your humor. Both Mac and Michael are 'regular guys' that I guarantee you'll never see in tight leather pants and puffy, half unbuttoned, shirts.

I've already mentioned the Amazing Johnathan. He is yet another great example of someone who has taken comedy and magic, added a whacky assistant, and turned it into a bankroll that would choke an elephant. And what about Penn & Teller? Again, both are average guys who have done a variety of things to make themselves stand out. One, they paired themselves together to take advantage of the strength of the other.. one of the most sure-fired ways to stand out in a highly competitive market. Teller is a big guy, and big guys are often overlooked, unless you're an opera singer. Yet, I have to give Penn his due.. he is undoubtely the best-dressed magician in Vegas. He is the perfect example of someone who has taken what some may perceive as a weakness and turned it into a positive. That goes back to making himself more visually appealing as a performer. If you can't out-geneticize them.. out-dress them.

Teller is a 'character' of sorts, as well. He does all the 'dirty work' in silence, while Penn does what he does best.. carry on a running monologue with the audience. ( I don't understand why more magicians don't form partnerships with cohorts who can then make up for one anothers short-comings) It's not that Tellers not a 'talker', it's that Penn is a better talker. And it's not that Penn can't perform magic.. It's about Teller being a better technician. I'm not crazy about their exposure, but I tip my hat to them as creative performers who have found a way to overcome the physical fascination of Vegas. Ditto to Mac, Michael, and Johnathan.

Think about these five performers and what, and how, they've made themselves different enough from fellow magicians to command enormous fees.. Why does their acts work and how can you benefit from their success.?

I've seen magicians who didn't have commanding voices perform to commanding music. I've seen magicians who didn't have killer chops kill with comedy. And I've seen magicians who were exceptionally short or big, command the stage because of their exceptional personalities, their exceptional wardrobe, or their exceptional skills. They found a way, but first they had to realize their shortcoming and either turn it into a strength or compensate for it..

Magic is about self-promotion, and self-promotion begins in your mind. Magic is about standing out from the crowd, but standing out in a meaningful way. Magic is about the performance, and turning your performance into a little 'work of art'. It's not all about knuckle-busting moves, but moves that entertain. Magic is not about 'looks', but you have to be able to compete with guys who want to make it about looks by dressing better, creating better, getting bigger laughs, and making the audience forget about looks. There's too many decision makers out there who want to make it about looks, and you have to package yourself in a way so you will never be overlooked. It's a fine line friends.

R.Carruth

===============

-Free Bonus Ebook-

Body Language Magic - How to Read and Make Body Movements for Maximum Success -

This is a special bonus for readers of the Magic Roadshow. I normally sell my ebooks on another site, but for about two weeks I'm going to make this link available to you Free.

Body language is the unspoken or non-verbal mode of communication that we do in every single aspect of our interaction with another person. It is like a mirror that tells us what the other person thinks and feels in response to our words or actions. Body language involves gestures, mannerisms, and other bodily signs.

Would you believe that in real life situations, 60% to 80% of the messages that we convey to other people are transmitted through body language and the actual verbal communication accounts for only 7% to 10%? Our ability to use body language in a positive way and to read other people's minds through their body language separates the men from the boys (or women from girls), and can be a powerful tool to our overall personality development. Imagine creating a great impression for work, business, and love by being knowledgeable in this not-so-common yet powerful field of study. It is the unspoken tool to a successful life.

So go ahead and access your personal copy of Body Language Magic and find out how you can read and utilize body language - the most used yet most misunderstood secret language in the world.

http://www.divshare.com/direct/5192312-1e8.pdf

Editors note: This is a 'hotlink' and will actually open the ebook without requiring you to download it. You can read it, or save it to read later. You will have the option to 'Open' or 'Save'. I recommend saving to your desktop.. I will remove this link in a couple of weeks. It is intended for subscribers of the Magic Roadshow and if I don't remove it shortly the search engines will index it and then anyone, anywhere will have free access to it.. Don't wait too long..

Rick C.

===============

Banachek Podcast

I know most of my readers are familiar with the mentalist Banachek. If you've ever watched Criss Angel on TV you've seen Banachek serving as a technical advisor. Aside from that, Banachek is a star in his own right. Once tested at length by university researchers who were convinced he possessed real psychic abilities, Banachek has since cashed in on his accurate perception and established a solid reputation as a performer, particularly on the college circuit.
 
'Skeptics Guide to the Universe' has an interesting podcast featuring Banachek. It's about half-way through the podcast. He covers his career in mentalism, Project Alpha (where he convinced scientists he had psychic powers), and his personal experiences with Uri Geller.

Officially, it's Podcast #158.. Podcast #159 features an interview with James Randi, which I haven't had time to listen to, but you may want to check it out as well.

http://www.theskepticsguide.org/skepticsguide/podcastinfo.asp?pid=158

===============

INVISIBLE DICE

TRICK: The spectator rolls a pair of invisible dice. After doing what seems like some random math the magician divines the numbers that they rolled.

The magician hands someone an invisible pair of dice. He asks that they roll the dice and inquires, “What number did you roll?” After their response, the magician insists “Roll them again.” Upon complying the magician asks, “What number did you get this time?” After responding with a different number the magician proclaims, “So they are not loaded!” Everyone chuckles.

The magician asks that they roll the dice one last time. He adds, “This time don´t tell me what you rolled. Instead choose one of the two numbers that you rolled and double it. Now add five to your new number. Multiply the result by five and add the number on the other dice to it. What is your new total?” Upon their response the magician astonishes everyone by revealing the number(s) that they rolled. The magician adds, “Do you know how I guessed your numbers? It was easy… you left the dice sitting on the table.”

SECRET: The real method uses a little math.
Let´s say they rolled a 5 and a 2.
If they choose the 5 and double it that makes 10.
Adding 5 to 10 makes 15.
Multiplying 15 by 5 equals 75.
Adding the other number 2 to that total equals 77.
The secret is to subtract 25 from this last total!
77 minus 25 equals 52.
The result 52 translates that they rolled a 5 and a 2.

This always works. It is amazing!

If you decide to try this on an elementary school student, someone who has been drinking, or someone who just doesn´t seem that bright, you might want to hand them a pencil and paper or a calculator to work out the calculation. :-)

To order Diamond Jim Tyler´s new book ...
BAMBOOZLERS: The Bankable Book of Bar Betchas, Brain Bogglers, Belly Busters & Bewitchery visit:
www.diamond-jim.com/originals ( $20.00 US + S&H ... 128 pages, 3X5 with faux leather binding )

===============

Hacking Las Vegas - The Inside Story of the MIT Blackjack Team's Conquest of the Casin'os

'Wired' magazine ran a great article almost 6 years ago, featuring the group of MIT students who invaded Vegas and attempted to beat the house at it's own game. This story was the basis of the recently released movie.. '21', starring Kevin Spacey.

WIRED's article was adapted from Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions...

This is a very good article for those of you, like myself, who have a fascination with Vegas.. Just a side note - you can pick up a year's subscription to WIRED for ten bucks.. I subscribe, and it's one of my most-anticipated magazines each month..

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/10.09/

===============

Discover the Magic Tricks and Secrets of professionals in the privacy and comfort of your own home... Dozens of ebooks from a lifetime pro with one of the best reputations for quality material on the web..

http://www.301url.com/magictouch1

===============

Ken Dyne Inner Circle.. Free Effects

If you're not familiar with the Inner Circle Newsletter, you're missing a really good resource of magic tricks and effects. Until now, it was difficult to access past issues, which contained a variety of very good effects.

To quote from the mentalistblog, where the archives are published..

"I have taken every Inner Circle Newsletter since January and indexed it according to the date it was originally released, and from now on every single newsletter will be posted in sequence at the all new Inner Circle Blog page."

"The new blog page will be the home of the Inner Circle from now on. It also has additional functions, as well as being able to access it form anywhere, you have the ability to read past newsletters (very useful to new members) but you will be able to comment and communicate with other members with total ease. AND you dont need to register to comment, you can even comment anonymously. Good times."

Check it out at.. http://mentalistblog.blogspot.com/

===============

How to Make Fireballs.. - Video

These are neat.. Little fireballs that burn freely in your hands and fingers and seemingly never burn the holder. There's a scientific reason why it doesn't burn, one those of you who own a regular lighter will understand, but it's impressive anyway.

This video will explain, visually, exactly how to make your own fireballs, and everything that's needed, except perhaps one item, you probably already have around the house. the one other item can be picked up at most convenience or quick-stop stores..

I know.. some of you are still saying.. " So, what the heck is a fireball, Carruth..?", but I'm going to make you go to YouTube to find out.. Hey, what else you got to do today?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsYIu2ohVFY

(Thanks to my friend, Carson, at www.CarsonKahn.co.nr , for the heads-up..)

===============
 

How to Fold an Origami Paper Rose - Video

Here's a really nice video, two actually, detailing how to make a Japanese Magic Rose Box.. Origami style. There's over 20 minutes of video detailing every aspect and every fold in detail. Enjoy this magical Rose and use it to REALLY impress someone special..

You can view it on one of my blogs.. Card Tricks and Magical Mysteries..

http://rickcarruth.blogspot.com/

===============

Magicplazza.com, the Romhany Report, and a Free Professional Stage Effect..

If you're in the magic industry in any way you're probably familiar with the former "24hmagic" web site. With magic industry news, reviews, and columns, there's always something of interest on what is now "Magicplazza.com".

The August 15th post, titled "Romhany's Column: Free Effect", contains a great description of a professional effect, one I recently saw performed on network TV. The author, Paul Romhany, a very talented, very creative magician from New Zealand, describes in great detail how to perform the following effect..

"On stage during the performance is a ‘poster´ tube that is suspended during the show. At any point in the show, the mentalist selects a lady from the audience to go on a dream vacation on a cruise ship. (Note this is part of a routine I perform on the cruise line I work for, so it applies directly to the company). I ask the lady out of all the ships that this company has, which one would she like. She names one of the ships!"

The routine continues with Paul asking the lady to name any destination in the world she would like to cruise to, and how much money she would like to take with her to thoroughly enjoy her cruise.

Finally, Paul ask her who she would like to take with her for companionship.

In time, the tube is cut down and carefully opened, revealing another tube inside the first. When the second tube is removed and opened, it reveals the name of the cruise ship, the destination, the amount of money named by the lady, and her choice of companions..

Everything is carefully described so you can adapt the routine to fit your performance.. Check it out.. and be sure to check out the interviews and techniques..

http://www.magicplazza.com/

 
---------
Side trip
---------

the ROMHANY REPORT -

Three of the most recent posts detail how to create a tech sheet for the music and sound technician, how to deal with extreme stage conditions, and how to deal/cope with various lighting conditions.

I particularly enjoyed the reviews of new magic products and DVD's, including Mark Mason's latest..

Well worth your time and definitely 'bookmark' material..

http://romhanyreport.blogspot.com/

 
===============

Magic Video Depot - Resource

Thanks to Prof. Lloyd Worley, the Chancellor at Camelard College (www.camelardcollege.org ) for a link to the newly redesigned Magic Video Depot. Although I've been a free member for three years or so, I haven't revisited recently with my killer schedule. I was excited to find everything in a new, easy-to-navigate format.

Although MVD pratices non-disclosure, that should never keep anyone serious about magic from visiting. Half the fun is watching the videos and trying, as a magician, to figure out how the effects are done. I can actually figure a 'fair' percentage, and once the video is viewed, disclosure or not, I can add the effect to my little repertoir..

The most recent video totals in each of several categories are:

Cards (4440)
Close-up (332)
Comedy (309)
Cups (49)
Mentalism (84)
Misc (516)
Money (1215)
New! Review Magic Effects (6)
Product Demos (15)
Stage-Parlor (525)

You will have to sign up to watch the videos, but it's painless and spam-free..

http://www.magicvideodepot.com/main/

===============

A Review.. 'MONDO Magnets: 40 Attractive (And Repulsive) Devices & Demonstrations'

Do you have an interest in magnets and how they can be used to achieve magical effects? I've been facinated by magnets since I was a child, and I really appreciated 'Mondo Magnets'.. The following review by R.D. Mel Gomez, Prof. of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park, was published in the 'IEEE Magnetics Society -NEWSLETTER-', Volume 47, No. 1 January 2007, edited by Pallavi Dhagat and Albrecht Jander.

"When they say cereals are iron-fortified, I never expected that my breakfast flakes could be attracted by magnets! Fred Jeffers, in his new book Mondo Magnets, describes procedures for finding magnetism in objects we do not normally regard as magnetic. He continues with thirty nine more experiments that exhibit some fascinating and often counter-intuitive properties of magnetism. In one other experiment, he shows how a material that is magnetized by a permanent magnet can actually be more attractive than the magnet itself. In yet another segment, he shows the principle of gears with magnetic rather than mechanical teeth."

"Working in the product research industry for nearly 40 years has given Fred a deep intuitive feel for magnetism which he shares to the laymen and experts alike. He gives simplified explanations on many experiments in sections called the “science behind it”. As a result, the book is a valuable resource for those who build demonstrations for education and entertainment."

"With the exception of magnetotactic bacteria, most of the materials are readily available from a hardware or grocery store,
and a few specialized items are conveniently provided with their sources. The experiments all work, which undoubtedly were tested several times over when Fred took them on the road as an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer in 1999. For those who know magnetism well enough, this book provides a plethora of activities that illustrate the concepts of magnetostatics, magnetic propulsion, levitation, magnetic permeability and image charges, Curie temperature, anisotropy, diamagnetism, magnetostriction, magnetic recording and many more. Indeed, I found myself scribbling calculations to quantify the reasoning behind Fred´s qualitative explanations. It was fun."

Book Details:
Title: Mondo Magnets: 40 Attractive (And Repulsive) Devices & Demonstrations
Author: Fred Jeffers
Publisher: Chicago Review Press, Distributed by Independent Publishers Group
Publication: March 2007, $16.95 (CAN $22.95), paper, ISBN: 155652530X
Science, 160 pages, 7 x 10, 110 B&W photos, 20 B&W diagrams

===============

Free Magic Downloadable Ebooks

FreeMagicTricks4u has found it's way into my newsletter several times recently, in part because Simon Crack continues to publish new material. I ran across this page that featured a variety of downloadable magic ebooks, all in easy to download PDF format. I encourage readers to download anything related to magic, as you never know when you will stumble upon something that may become a mainstay in your routine. I've been surprised by where I've found some of my personal favorite effects. I bought a magic book for six bucks at a popular bookseller awhile back, and promptly found two effects I immediately added to my repertoir. I can buy 30 dollar dvd's all day and maybe find one effect I like as much as these two. I'll write a review shortly and tell you were I found this great little book. In the meantime, enjoy Simon's site..

Can Balance eBook -
Learn how to balance a can at 45° Amazing!
 
Haunted Key eBook
Make a key move without touching it!
 
Power Card Tricks
Ten easy to learn but impressive card tricks.
 
Mental Card Read
Card trick to read your spectators mind!
 
110 Magic Tricks
110 simple magic tricks for the beginner
 
Appearing Coins
Make coins appear from thin air!
 
Plus several other ebooks with tricks popularized by Blaine and Copperfield..

http://www.freemagictricks4u.com/free-magic-ebook.html

===============

Killer Coin Vanish - Effect

Speaking of FreeMagicTricks4u, I just received this email from Simon..

"Just to let you know I recently added a new trick I think you will
like, it's called the Killer Coin Vanish you can learn it free here"...

Click Here

=================
Rick's Not So Magical Picks
=================

DVDSmith Movie Backup - Utility

Here's a nice little utility to back up your DVD's. I must admit that I have not had time to install and play around with it, but I intend to. I've been working off a couple of labtops for weeks now, and can't wait to get home and install a couple of utilities I've run across onto my desktop.
 
To quote from their site..

"DVDSmith Movie Backup is a DVD Decrypter and DVD copying software designed to copy entire DVD movies to hard disk, and removes all the protections (CSS, RC, RCE, APS, UOPs and Sony ARccOS) while copying. With DVDSmith Movie Backup you can make clones of your favorite DVD movies from your hard drive with just a few clicks -- either complete with all the extras or just the main movie only, in selected audios and subtitles."

As for the features: It's 100% Freeware. No cost at all to download.. It supports copy-protected DVDs and copies all DVDs, even those with anti-piracy encryption. Picture video and audio is identical to the original DVD. Very high speed lets you copy your DVD in a very short time. Supports both NTSC & PAL DVD movies. And according to the developer, it's very easy to use - just click and backup.

Keep in mind that you may use this software to copy material in which you own the copyright or have obtained permission to copy from the copyright owner. If you do not own the copyright or you have not obtained the permission to copy from the copyright owner, you may be violating copyright law and you may be subject to claims for damages and/or criminal penalties.

http://www.dvdsmith.com/

===============

WORDLE - Design Word Clouds

First.. click the Wordle/magicroadshow 3 image at the bottom of this post. This is but one of many different styles of word clouds you can design freely with WORDLE. You can change the position, colors, vertical and/or horozontal positions, fonts, and other features. Best of all, you're free to use it as you wish, without restrictions. ( Do read the FAQ )

To quote from their site..

"Wordle is a toy for generating 'word clouds' from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends."

There's nothing to download or sign up for.. Just go there, create, and enjoy...

http://wordle.net/

===============

~ Free Downloads for New Subscribers ~

-----

.: Bobo's 'Modern Coin Magic'

http://streetmagicsecrets.info/bobo.htm

-----

.: Expert at the Card Table

http://streetmagicsecrets.info/erdnase20.htm

-----------

.: Easy Mentalism

http://streetmagicsecrets.info/1mentalpay.htm

===============

I encourage you to share your favorite links, videos, and resources with other magicians from around the world. If you know of a site that has a free ebook or a wide assortment of magic related material, let me know. I'm sure all the other readers will appreciate it..

You can go to the url below and use the web form to easily send your articles and effects to the Roadshow for publication.

http://www.streetmagic.info/submit.html

---------------
Email me..
---------------

May my next issue find you well..

Rick Carruth / Editor

::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~