Al Mann - Acidus Novus

 

 

Acidus Novus A Method for Thought Reading Including the New Acidus Novus by Millard Longman www.psychic-skills.com

First Published by Al Mann in 1979

 

 

 

 

 

Due to the poor quality of the previous pages, this is the text only for Al Mann’s Acidus Plus: EFFECT: A spectator is asked to write down his private thoughts on an index card or the magician's business card and' then to fold the card twice. Performer then takes the folded card and places it against his temple for  just a moment and then passes the still folded card back to the write writer. r. The performer then proceeds to reveal the thought letter by letter. NOTE. No switching, no dummy billets, all done openly with the folded card always in site. Only one folded billet used. Sounds great and impossible? It is great but not impossible. Secret. A blank-on-both-sides index card is used, size 3 by 5 inches. The card is filled with the spectator's name, birth date, birth signs, or whatever. The line on the lower right of the card is left blank and the spectator is asked to write his 'key' word or name on that line, see Fig. 1. The index card is prefolded before the show. First from right to left as in Fig. 2. This fold is made a bit off-center off-center so that a step is formed on the left side as in Fig. 3 . Next the card is folded backwards as in Fig. 4 so that the step on the fold remains on the outside and visible. THIS THIS FOLD IS ALSO OFF-CENTER so that a second step is formed as in Fig. 5. This second step hides the back half of the card. ca rd. Presentation and Handling: Performer asks the spectator for his name and birth date and writes same on the card plus any other thing needed to fill up the card. Spectator is then told to think of an important question and write a key word for that question on the line, line, or the name of a person, and thenhand fold fingers the card(assuming twice. Performer takes the folded card with the tips ofthe his left the reader is right handed) and passes it to tips of his right hand fingers and in the act, the right thumb is slipped slipped into the near-fold of the billet creating a gap. See Fig. 6 on next page. The move is done at waist level, The right hand then holds the billet in full sight as the body turns a bit to the left and the message is in position for reading. (Fig. 7) In Millard' s own words, "Watch yourself in a mirror and you will see nothing unusual when you do this move with the card at waist level." "A quick glance will let you read the key word. I do it as I bring the card to my forehead, I press it there with my middle finger and my hand spread

 

wide. When this is done in one continuous move, the thumb comes out of the fold automatically," There it is, gentlemen, simple and sweet. The presentation is direct, and is the type of effect that will sell the mindreader image to the public. It’s criteria meets the standards of "Acidus" which spawned it. That is what we have aimed for. Millard does an expert presentation of Acidus Novus and uses it in everyone of his shows." So do not be misled by its simplicity, it is a winner. A DOUBLE-BARREL EFFECT with Acidus Novus is to do it with paper instead of card. That way after the initial thought is revealed, performer does the center-tear center-tear with the paper and then as an after thought reveals the spectator's name! na me! NOTE. Only Only one person in the audience knows that the key word is written on the bottom line, if he notices that at all! The rest of the audience are puzzled since they never see you open the billet. Here is a full size view of Millards business card car d which he uses for the test.

 

A Historical Note to Acidus Novus

On 9 October 1978, I ordered the original Acidus from Al Mann. The original technique required a specially folded billet with the writing limited to a particular place on the billet. It also required a switch of the billet for a dummy. I studied and practiced the move for a couple couple of days. Then the idea for Acidus Novus popped into my mind. I changed the fold used for the billet, kept the writing restriction, and dumped the switch. On 30 October 1978, I sent Al a letter telling him I had solved the problem of a no switch billet read. rea d. In Al’s own words he said: “I was stunned. I had basked in the belief that Acidus was perfection unsurpassed. Your letter sounds like something from another world!” Al asked me for the explanation, which I sent him. He then asked if he could publish the technique and of course I said yes. Although I did not know it then, that publication would make history in the world of Mentalism. In Al’s Foreword to the Acidus Plus book he states that he invented the fold on which Acidus Novus is based. Al published the fold in the original Acidus book about 1976. His fold was similar to mine, but the second fold was made the opposite way from mine. His step was inside the folded billet, not outside the billet b illet as mine is. I first saw the fold I used in a book by Robert A. Nelson called Secret Methods of Private Readers; revised edition published in 1975 by Micky Hades. I don’t know when when the book was first first written, but I suspect suspect that it was already old in 1975. The fold is on page page 20 and uses a 3” by 5” 5” index card. In that book, the billet is switched for for a dummy. The card was prefolded so that it would look like the dummy. INelson’s never told Al about this book. For all I know Al was Doctor A, the hero of book. Also, you should not do this with paper as Al suggested in the text. You should always use card stock and pencil (not pen) so that the client will not suspect the ability to read through the paper as described in my technique “The Ultimate Billet” published by Harry Lorayne in 1983. That technique is included in this book for you to use. Millard Longman 10 February 2000

 

The New Acidus Novus Copyright 2000 by Millard Longman In 1978 I created this move and sent it to Al Mann who immediately published it in a book titled “Acidus Plus”. He called this move “Acidus Novus”. Al gave me full credit in the book and even published a full-page full-page photo of me (I was young and handsome handsome at the time). It has been twentyone years since this was was published and now Al Al has passed. It is time for all Mentalists and Psychics to have this move in their arsenal. It is the easiest and most direct of all billet techniques known to man. It is now yours as a gift from me. Effect: Client writes down her private thoughts on a small card and folds the card twice. Mentalist holds the card at his fingertips for a few moments and reveals the thoughts in a manner of his choosing. No switching, no tearing, no funny moves. The card is in view at the fingertips the entire time.  You may do the move with any appropriate appropria te card such as a 3 X 5 blank (unlined) index card or the back of your business card. Method: First you must pre-fold pre-fold the card as shown in the Acidus Novus instructions. Lay the the card flat on a table with the blank side facin facing g you. Fold the right side over the left, but leave a little of the left side exposed. Now turn the card over from left to rig right. ht. Now fold the bottom up up over the top half. See drawings in the Acidus Ac idus Novus instructions. Make the creases as sharp sharp as you can. Then open the card and ask the client to print something (emotion, color, number, thought, question) or draw a simple figure on the card. Then ask the client to refold the card and hand it back to you. Holding the card as shown above you can easily insert your right thumb into the space between the folds. This will allow you to read what is written inside. By holding the card the other way you can insert the left thumb into the fold. Make several practice pr actice folds until you get the smallest possible offset you can work with, the smaller the better to keep the spectator from understanding the situation. Be sure to watch your angles and practice in

 

front of a mirror and then in front of a fellow mentalist. mentalist. Keep working until you can do it easily and without exposing the secret to the client. When a client is handed a pre-folded and well-creased card, they will not write or draw across the folds. folds. At least I have never had one write ac across ross the folds. folds. This means that their writing will be in one of the corners of the card. When you peek inside you can see see the original lower left corn corner er and the lower right corner when using your right thumb and the other corners when using your your left thumb. When you peek inside, inside, one of the corners will be right side up and the other will will be upside down. If you cannot read upside down, then you will have to write something of your own on those corners to keep the client from writing there. You can draw some Astrological symbols or make any marks you like to fill up those corners.  You can also fill up three of the corners thereby forcing the client to write in the one corner that is left blank. When you get the card back, you should begin speaking immediately, before you peek inside. inside. Keep talking while you peek; this will distract the client and they will not notice that you are looking into the card. You will need to practice this part until you can perform the peek smoothly. After reading the card, I prefer prefer to keep it or destroy it to prevent the spectator from discovering the secret. So there it is, you now have the perfect billet technique available to use when necessary. Enjoy it.

Millard Longman 10 September 2000

 

 

The Ultimate Billet By Millard Longman

www.psychic-skills.com

From Harry Lorayane’s Apocalypse November, 1983

Volume 6 Number 11

 

 

 

 

 

Due to the poor quality of the previous pages, this is the text only for Harry Lorayne’s Ultimate Billet: This is a simple idea; yet, with with proper presentation it can be built up to a “real” mindreading mindreading effect. The preparation of the billet is quite easy – as a matter of fact, it can be done impromptu, prepared in front of your audience  – but it may take a bit of explaining. Use a 3” x 5” slip slip of light paper. A sheet from a standard 3x5 pad is usually fine. Fold it into long quarters, like this: Fold it in half first, the top half down and toward you. Then, fold the top half (of the now folded-in-half folded-in-half sheet) down and back (away from you). You You now have a 3” by 1¼” folded strip. Sharpen the creases with a fingernail. Now, open the slip by opening the two folds in reverse sequence. That is, unfold the rear quarter up and toward you. Then open the front half up and away from you. All really simpl simple; e; it just reads complicated. Draw an X on the left side of the 3rd- from-top long quarter, and draw a line from the X to the right. (Fig. 1 shows the X, etc. and I've tried to show just how the creases should look. Study it and it'll all clear up.) Now, fold down the top half, on its original crease. At this moment one layer of paper is covering the X___________. You must be able to see the X___________ through that layer – that's the modus operandi. It will now be closer to the top of the folded-in-half sheet. Fold the top half (of the half) down and back, on its original crease. You're back to the 3” by 1¼” folded strip. If you've followed me, you can't see the X now (there are a couple of layers on it), but if you look at the other side, you can see the X____________. All right; on the front quarter (where you can't see the inside X) write another X with a line next to it, just as you did for the first X. Then, fold the billet in half (right side back and to the left) so that this second X and part of the line is upward and visible. The paper is now folded into eighths. The original X is on the inside. This is the prepared slip of paper. (Fig. 2 is what it looks like.) To perform: Open the entire slip of paper. Ask a spectator to “think of a person, dead or alive, who is familiar to us all – a famous person. “Then ask him to print that person's name (surname should be enough) “on this line.” Indicate the line at the original X. “Please don't let anyone see it; certainly not me.” He prints the name on the indicated line. “Please fold the paper in half so that the name is on the inside – just follow the original fold. Now fold it in half again. Another line should be staring you in the face, near another X.

 

Sign your name on that line, then fold once more with your name on the outside.” Following these instructions, your spectator refolds the paper as it was – and the inner writing can't be seen! Take the folded (in eighths) paper. Don't look at it as you do your usual buildup. Then open it – one fold – on your open left hand so that you can, read his signature. Don't try to hide the paper; keep your palm up, the billet in full view. If you can't make out the signature, ask him to help you and tell you his name. Then- grasp the billet between your right thumb and forefinger, forefinger on top, thumb underneath. (Fig. 3) Tilt it up on its long edge, his signature toward him; he will see it upside down. Ask him to verify his signature. That's the reason for tilting it toward him. It's at this moment that you can see what he printed inside! It will be right-side-up. (Fig. 4) Your reading should not be obvious, obv ious, of course. He'll say that his signature is upside down. Turn it right-side-up for him, without flashing the other side. The simplest, and quickest, way I' I've ve found is to simply second behind billet and push outward release with put my my thumb. Thisfinger flips the billetthe around. Then, in the same as I action, let it fall back onto your left palm. The signature is now facing your spectator properly, you know what he wrote inside, and you haven't flashed the back. When he verifies his signature, you have options. Millard prefers to tear the billet into pieces and hand the pieces to the spectator. You can refold it into eighths and hold it to your forehead to pick up the “vibes.” You can burn it. Etc. It's important to destroy the billet – don't give it back to your spectator spectat or in one piece! Millard likes to “reveal” the thought by attempting to describe the famous person as best he can before he says the name. He tries to get another spectator to say the name before he does. This makes it look more “real;” as if the performer didn't “see” the writing but the actual image of the thought-of thoug ht-of person! Afterthoughts: Well; as I said, it's a simple idea – but a good one. Try it. If you're good at presentation, you can come off like a “real mindreader”! I mentioned that the slip of paper can be prepared in front of your audience. It can. Just do it quickly as you talk. I don't think I have to tell you that you should be careful not to expose the fact that the X can be seen through one layer of paper.

 

Ultimate Billet Update I now use a different fold for this billet; I use a tri-fold. I place the line for the secret information near the top of a 3x5 piece of paper; centered in the top third of the paper. I then fold that third down and then make another fold down. As you look at the surface that is now facing you, you can see what is written writte n inside. Now I fold the paper in half from right to left. The secret writing is now not visible, even if held up to the light. I now place a line on the surface of the side I am now looking at for the client to sign his name. This line can be diagonally placed on this side to make the line longer. Now afterand the signs client itprints the secret information theand inside line, the billet on the outside, you take theon billet hold it inrefolds your left hand so that you can read the signature. You can make some comment about the signature, if you like. Now you open the billet from left to right as you push the billet further into your left hand. This creates the illusi illusion on that you have just turned the billet around to show the signature signature to the client. A little practice iin n front of a mirror will let you get this move. Now you are looking at and reading the secret information. Finish as usual.

Millard Longman