Underground Website Lets You Buy Any Drug Imaginable

• By Adrian Chen, Gawker
• From: http://www.wired.com/

Making small talk with your pot dealer sucks. Buying cocaine can get you shot. What if you could buy and sell drugs online like books or light bulbs? Now you can: Welcome to Silk Road.

About three weeks ago, the U.S. Postal Service delivered an ordinary envelope to Mark’s door. Inside was a tiny plastic bag containing 10 tabs of LSD. “If you had opened it, unless you were looking for it, you wouldn’t have even noticed,” Mark told us in a phone interview.

Mark, a software developer, had ordered the 100 micrograms of acid through a listing on the online marketplace Silk Road. He found a seller with lots of good feedback who seemed to know what they were talking about, added the acid to his digital shopping cart and hit “check out.” He entered his address and paid the seller 50 Bitcoins — untraceable digital currency — worth around $150. Four days later, the drugs (sent from Canada) arrived at his house.

“It kind of felt like I was in the future,” Mark said.


Silk Road, a digital black market that sits just below most internet users’ purview, does resemble something from a cyberpunk novel. Through a combination of anonymity technology and a sophisticated user-feedback system, Silk Road makes buying and selling illegal drugs as easy as buying used electronics — and seemingly as safe. It’s Amazon — if Amazon sold mind-altering chemicals.

Here is just a small selection of the 340 items available for purchase on Silk Road by anyone, right now: a gram of Afghani hash; 1/8 ounce of “sour 13″ weed; 14 grams of ecstasy; .1 gram tar heroin. A listing for “Avatar” LSD includes a picture of blotter paper with big blue faces from the James Cameron movie on it.
The sellers are located all over the world, a large portion from the United States and Canada.



But even Silk Road has limits: You won’t find any weapons-grade plutonium, for example. Its terms of service ban the sale of “anything who’s purpose is to harm or defraud, such as stolen credit cards, assassinations, and weapons of mass destruction.”

‘It’s Amazon — if Amazon sold mild-altering chemicals.’

 

Getting to Silk Road is tricky. The URL seems made to be forgotten. But don’t point your browser there yet. It’s only accessible through the anonymizing network, TOR, which requires a bit of technical skill to configure.
Once you’re there, it’s hard to believe that Silk Road isn’t simply a scam. Such brazenness is usually displayed only by those fake “online pharmacies” that dupe the dumb and flaccid. There’s no sly, Craigslist-style code names here. But while scammers do use the site, most of the listings are legit. Mark’s acid worked as advertised. “It was quite enjoyable, to be honest,” he said. We spoke to one Connecticut engineer who enjoyed sampling some “silver haze” pot purchased off Silk Road. “It was legit,” he said. “It was better than anything I’ve seen.”

Edgarnumbers is selling these 2C-B "blue bees" tablets. Price: 1.15 bitcoins ($10) per tablet.

Silk Road cuts down on scams with a reputation-based trading system familiar to anyone who’s used Amazon or eBay. The user Bloomingcolor appears to be an especially trusted vendor, specializing in psychedelics. One happy customer wrote on his profile: “Excellent quality. Packing, and communication. Arrived exactly as described.” They gave the transaction five points out of five. 

“Our community is amazing,” Silk Road’s anonymous administrator, known on forums as “Silk Road,” told us in an e-mail. “They are generally bright, honest and fair people, very understanding, and willing to cooperate with each other.”

Sellers feel comfortable openly selling hard-core drugs because the real identities of those involved in Silk Road transactions are utterly obscured. If the authorities wanted to ID Silk Road’s users with computer forensics, they’d have nowhere to look. TOR masks a user’s tracks on the site. As for transactions, Silk Road doesn’t accept credit cards, PayPal or any other form of payment that can be traced or blocked. The only money good here is Bitcoins.
Bitcoins have been called a “crypto-currency,” the online equivalent of a brown paper bag of cash. Bitcoins are a peer-to-peer currency, not issued by banks or governments, but created and regulated by a network of other bitcoin holders’ computers. (The name “Bitcoin” is derived from the pioneering file-sharing technology Bittorrent.) They are purportedly untraceable and have been championed by cyberpunks, libertarians and anarchists who dream of a distributed digital economy outside the law, one where money flows across borders as free as bits.
To purchase something on Silk Road, you need first to buy some Bitcoins using a service like Mt. Gox Bitcoin Exchange. Then, create an account on Silk Road, deposit some bitcoins, and start buying drugs. One bitcoin is worth about $8.67, though the exchange rate fluctuates wildly every day. Right now you can buy an 1/8 ounce of pot on Silk Road for 7.63 Bitcoins. That’s probably more than you would pay on the street, but most Silk Road users seem happy to pay a premium for convenience.

‘It kind of felt like I was in the future.’

Since it launched this February, Silk Road has represented the most complete implementation of the Bitcoin vision. Many of its users come from Bitcoin’s Utopian geek community and see Silk Road as more than just a place to buy drugs. Silk Road’s administrator cites the anarcho-libertarian philosophy of Agorism. “The state is the primary source of violence, oppression, theft and all forms of coercion,” Silk Road wrote to us. “Stop funding the state with your tax dollars and direct your productive energies into the black market.”
Mark, the LSD buyer, had similar views. “I’m a libertarian anarchist and I believe that anything that’s not violent should not be criminalized,” he said.

1UP of Canada is offering 1/8 ounce of "the infamous Jack Herer." He writes: "This is just classic stuff, well grown, well cured, well smoked." Price: 7.42 bitcoins ($64)

But not all Bitcoin enthusiasts embrace Silk Road. Some think the association with drugs will tarnish the young technology, or might draw the attention of federal authorities. “The real story with Silk Road is the quantity of people anxious to escape a centralized currency and trade,” a longtime bitcoin user named Maiya told us in a chat. “Some of us view Bitcoin as a real currency, not drug barter tokens.” 

 

Silk Road and Bitcoins could herald a black market eCommerce revolution. But anonymity cuts both ways. How long until a DEA agent sets up a fake Silk Road account and starts sending SWAT teams instead of LSD to the addresses she gets? As Silk Road inevitably spills out of the bitcoin bubble, its drug-swapping utopians will meet a harsh reality no anonymizing network can blur.

If Only Shopping Was This Fun All The Time

Uploaded by Darkjellybean869

This is a funny video of people shopping. Actually pretty cool too, these people are the shiznit.

Gorgeous video explains why there’s no such thing as a jellyfish

from: http://io9.com/

Meredith Woerner — It's wrong to lump all the ocean's jelly-like creatures into one category "jellyfish." So this video from the wonderful The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute breaks down all the glorious varieties of these magical sea beasts.

From MBARI:

By all accounts, jellyfish are creatures that kill people, eat microbes, grow to tens of meters, filter phytoplankton, take over ecosystems, and live forever. Because of the immense diversity of gelatinous plankton, jelly-like creatures can individually have each of these properties. However this way of looking at them both overstates and underestimates their true diversity. Taxonomically, they are far more varied than a handful of exemplars that are used to represent jellyfish or especially the so-called "true" jellyfish. Ecologically, they are even more adaptable than one would expect by looking only at the conspicuous bloom forming families and species that draw most of the attention. In reality, the most abundant and diverse gelatinous groups in the ocean are not the ones that anyone ever sees.

Report Jellyfish sightings here!

Kid Gives Greatest Speech After Learning To Ride A Bike (Video)

EMBED-Kid Gives Speech After Learning To Ride A Bike - Watch more free videos

Soldier Leaves His Baby Daughter A Note Before Going To Afghanistan

by Image of the Day

Before departing for a tour in Afghanistan, First Lieutenant Todd Weaver left a note to his 9 month year old daughter. Todd Weaver was killed on September 9, 2010 by an improvised explosive device. The letter to his daughter reads:

Dear Kiley, My Sweetie:

Although you may not remember me, I want you to know how very much your Daddy loves you. I left for Afghanistan when you were 9 months old. Leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. You are so very special to me sweetie – you are truly a gift from God. The best day of my life was the day you were born. Every time I saw you smile my heart would just melt. You were my sweetie – my life was not complete until you were born.
I am so sorry I will not be able to see you grow up. But remember, your Daddy is not gone. I am in heaven now smiling down on you every day. You are so very lucky to have such a wonderful Mom to take care of you. Make sure you are good for her and help her out whenever you can. Always remember to say your prayers at night and be thankful for all your many blessings. Never forget how important and special you are to so many people. We love you so very much. When you get older and start school, do your best and try to learn as much as you can about the world you live in. Always be nice and caring to others and you will discover that the world will be nice to you. But when things aren’t going your way, never forget that God knows what is best for you and everything will work out in the end.
You have such a bright and beautiful future ahead of you. Have fun. Enjoy it. And remember, your Daddy will always be proud of you and will always love you. You are and will always be my sweetie.
With very much love,
Your Daddy

Van Damme Friday - How to Order the JCVD Watches

by Jean-Claude Van Damme on Monday, May 30, 2011 at 9:44am

The new JCVD watches are only available to buy from the website jcvd-watches.com and we ship worldwide!
Please create your account on http://www.jcvd-watches.com/category.php?id_category=10 to order your watch now!

Waleed Al-Telbany - Team JCVD

Tornado in Springfield, Mass. looks like a scene from X-Men

Tornado On Connecticut River downtown Springfield Massachusetts 


Uploaded by jonah70757

On 06/01/2011 early evening a Tornado formed and was a frightening sight, no deaths have been reported. Reports are coming in of widespread damage in Springfield, MA, after a tornado touched down. The heavy damage is concentrated in the Downtown and South End areas of Springfield. An aide to the mayor says the National Guard has been called in to help with emergency response. Firefighters are trying to track down residents to ensure their safety. Traffic in the area is snarled due to downed trees on major routes. Route 5 is actually closed in places due to downed trees. There is a report of an overturned tractor-trailer on the Memorial Bridge, backing up traffic.

Drivers are being asked to stay off roadways to keep them clear for police and fire. Check with KKTV.com for more information on this developing story.

Why X-Men: First Class is the Best X-Men Film Yet

Why does it work? What's in store? Spoiler-free for your enjoyment!

by Patrick Kolan 
from: http://movies.ign.com/

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Bryan Singer's first two X-Men films were solid. They did a good job of wrangling a lot of different characters, their motivations and back-stories together. It took liberties with the details, but it made for a more realistic portrayal of superherodom. The third film? Well, erm, two out of three ain't bad. It lacked the finesse of the first two, instead falling back on forgettable action sequences and, honestly, it overdosed on superheroes and villains. It lacked storytelling grace. X-Men Origins: Wolverine? That never happened, okay? Move along.

X-Men: First Class is the best of the X-Men films, hands down. It draws on real-world conflicts to form the backbone of the threat in the story, which does wonders for context and a sense of realism. More than that though, it gets the balance of exposition and explosions just right.

After my first viewing, I felt X-Men: First Class was at first a familiar film – but an entirely different beast at heart from its predecessors. It is a mostly patient screenplay, taking its time with character development and feels balanced and compelling as a result.

That's the critical difference; as an origin story for Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto), the entire crux of the story has immense emotional weight. These are two men on opposite sides of the same coin – and Singer's story, while retreading some of Magneto's tormented childhood – does an amazing job of fleshing out his background.

More X-Men: First Class Videos

For all their mutant bravado, these are human tales – very simple ones, too. Erik seeks revenge; one of the oldest motivators in drama. His tragic upbringing is given a lot of screen time, and that was the right decision. Not only does his early oppression at the hands of Nazi scientists provide a great comparison to the treatment of mutants by humans years later, but it also hints at somewhat rational motivations for his stance on the superiority of mutants.

Magneto's core story is about mutant segregation and superiority. That's the Nazi party line, in a manner. However, in Bryan Singer's first X-Men films, this is only hinted at. The parallels are drawn on thickly in First Class.

Superhero movies as a genre have advanced to the point where they can't afford to be hokey and lightweight.

Standing (well, sitting) opposed is Xavier; he is motivated to achieve peace through knowledge – and sharing that understanding with society. With First Class' Xavier, we see a totally different portrait to that of Patrick Stewart's poised and restrained interpretation. Here we see a swinging party guy; debonair and cheeky – and his charm carries the story beautifully.

There's still a team of mutants – some familiar, some new faces – to fill sequences with all kinds of eye-popping daring and effects work glory. But the balance is different. It's matured. It's better—and I think it's a sign of good things on the way.

In truth, I think superhero movies as a genre have advanced to the point where they can't afford to be hokey and lightweight. Audiences are too spoilt for quality now; they demand a lot more – and the original text deserves more too. Christopher Nolan's Batman rebirth pointed the way forward and it showed that audiences were as engaged by compelling story and artfully crafted filmmaking as spectacular stunts and dozens of characters on screen. In that way, there are two schools of approach today: the traditionalist and the modern.

The traditional approach apes the flow of a comic book arc and lifts dialogue and tone from the source. The Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, X-Men 3 and Ang Lee's Hulk all subscribe to this approach. They're bubblegum, colourful and aimed squarely at fans of the series above all others. And that's cool. It is. But it's not going to win any awards or turn heads that weren't already excited to begin with.

We're as relieved as you are that this turned out to be great.

That's why the 'modern approach', on the other hand, is so vital right now. It's about breaking preconceptions about superhero films; taking clichés and breaking them down. Nolan's Batman took a costumed character tale and turned it into edgy, almost noir crime drama. Iron Man played up the humour and sex appeal – and played the stunts for laughs, making it much more digestible for non-comic book reading viewers. At the same time, it rooted its conflicts and technology within the realm of the plausible. Watchmen uses alternate-history America and wartime violence to flesh out archetypal heroes – and in doing so, makes them human beings who are very flawed and definitely not super.

In X-Men: First Class, it puts superheroics at the secret core of the Cuban missile crisis. It also touches on race relations, equal rights and, tantalizingly, government conspiracies. The link back to Nazism adds further complexity – but it's tied so nicely to the core story that it creates real empathy with the quasi-villain.

What lies ahead for X-Men – specifically the 60s-era First Class? This is the opening chapter of Xavier and Magneto's loose friendship and tighter opposition. As the set-up for the main event, it was fantastic. Fans of the comics will appreciate the ending – and we'll not dare spoil that for you. But it almost doesn't matter what the overarching threat is in the inevitable sequel, because the action is still secondary to the drama between Xavier and Magneto.

This interplay, sitting above the action, is how it should be. If the sequel wants to retain the sense of quality, urgency and emotional impact, keep the drama high and central. Keep the set pieces, of course – I mean, this is an action movie above all. But never neglect that it's the characters (and the audience's feelings towards them) that drive the action. It's what keeps us coming back for more.

Movie Details

X-Men: First Class

• Release Date:
• US (wide): June 3, 2011
• Produced By: Bryan Singer, Lauren Shuler Donner, Simon Kinberg
• Directed By: Matthew Vaughn
• Genre: Super-Hero
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• Language: English

Click Here for More Movie Info

X-Men: First Class

Next Mars Rover Will "See" in 3-D Color

from: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/



Two digital color cameras on the mast of NASA's next Mars rover will complement each other in showing the surface of Mars in exquisite detail.  They are the left and right eyes of the Mast Camera, or Mastcam, instrument on the Curiosity rover of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission, launching in late 2011.

The right-eye Mastcam looks through a telephoto lens, revealing details near or far with about three-fold better resolution than any previous landscape-viewing camera on the surface of Mars. The left-eye Mastcam provides broader context through a medium-angle lens. Each can acquire thousands of full-color images and store them in an eight-gigabyte flash memory. Both cameras are also capable of recording high-definition video at about eight frames per second. Combining information from the two eyes can yield 3-D views of the telephoto part of the scene.

The motivation to put telephoto capability in Curiosity's main science imaging instrument grew from experience with NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity and its studies of an arena-size crater in 2004. The science camera on that rover's mast, which can see details comparably to what a human eye can see at the same distance, showed intriguing patterns in the layers of Burns Cliff inside Endurance Crater.

"We tried to get over and study it, but the rover could not negotiate the steep slope," recalled Mastcam Principal Investigator Michael Malin, of Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. "We all desperately coveted a telephoto lens." NASA selected his Mastcam proposal later that year for the Mars Science Laboratory rover.

The telephoto Mastcam, called "Mastcam 100" for its 100-millimeter focal-length lens, provides enough resolution to distinguish a basketball from a football at a distance of seven football fields, or to read "ONE CENT" on a penny on the ground beside the rover. Its images cover an area about six degrees wide by five degrees tall.

Its left-eye partner, called "Mastcam 34" for its 34-millimeter lens, catches a scene three times wider -- about 18 degrees wide and 15 degrees tall -- with each exposure.

Researchers will use the Mastcams and nine other science instruments on Curiosity to study past and present environments in a carefully chosen area of Mars. They will assess whether conditions have been favorable for life and favorable for preserving evidence about whether life has existed there. Mastcam imaging of the shapes and colors of landscapes, rocks and soils will provide clues about the history of environmental processes that have formed them and modified them over time. Images and videos of the sky will document contemporary processes, such as movement of clouds and dust.

Previous color cameras on Mars have taken a sequence of exposures through different color filters to be combined on Earth into color views. The Mastcams record color the same way consumer digital cameras do: They have a grid of tiny red, green and blue squares (a "Bayer pattern" filter) fitted over the electronic light detector (the charge-coupled device, or CCD). This allows the Mastcams to get the three color components over the entire scene in a single exposure.

Mastcam's color-calibration target on the rover deck includes magnets to keep the highly magnetic Martian dust from accumulating on portions of color chips and white-gray-balance reference chips. Natural lighting on Mars tends to be redder than on Earth due to dust in Mars' atmosphere. "True color" images can be produced that incorporate that lighting effect -- comparable to the greenish look of color-film images taken under fluorescent lights on Earth without a white-balancing adjustment. A white-balance calculation can yield a more natural look by adjusting for the tint of the lighting, as the human eye tends to do and digital cameras can do. The Mastcams are capable of producing both true-color and white-balanced images.

Besides the affixed red-green-blue filter grid, the Mastcams have wheels of other filters that can be rotated into place between the lens and the CCD. These include science spectral filters for examining the ground or sky in narrow bands of visible-light or near-infrared wavelengths. One filter on each camera allows it to look directly at the sun to measure the amount of dust in the atmosphere, a key part of Mars' weather.

"Something we're likely to do frequently is to look at rocks and features with the Mastcam 34 red-green-blue filter, and if we see something of interest, follow that up with the Mastcam 34 and Mastcam 100 science spectral filters," Malin said. "We can use the red-green-blue data for quick reconnaissance and the science filters for target selection."

When Curiosity drives to a new location, Mastcam 34 can record a full-color, full-circle panorama about 60 degrees tall by taking 150 images in about 25 minutes. Using Mastcam 100, the team will be able to broaden the swath of terrain evaluated on either side of the path Curiosity drives, compared to what has been possible with earlier Mars rovers. That will help with selection of the most interesting targets to approach for analysis by Curiosity's other instruments and will provide additional geological context for interpreting data about the chosen targets.

The Mastcams will provide still images and video to study motions of the rover -- both for science, such as seeing how soils interact with wheels, and for engineering, such as aiding in use of the robotic arm. In other videos, the team may use cinematic techniques such as panning across a scene and using the rover's movement for "dolly" shots.

Each of the two-megapixel Mastcams can take and store thousands of images, though the amount received on Earth each day will depend on how the science team chooses priorities for the day's available data-transmission volume. Malin anticipates frequent use of Mastcam "thumbnail" frames -- compressed roughly 150-by-150-pixel versions of each image -- as an index of the full-scale images held in the onboard memory.

Malin Space Science Systems built the Mastcam instrument and will operate it. The company's founder, Michael Malin, participated in NASA's Viking missions to Mars in the 1970s, provided the Mars Orbiter Camera for NASA's Mars Global Surveyor mission, and is the principal investigator for both the Context Camera and the Mars Color Imager on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

The science team for Mastcam and two other instruments the same company provided for Curiosity includes the lead scientist for the mast-mounted science cameras on Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity (James Bell of Arizona State University); the lead scientist for the mast camera on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander (Mark Lemmon of Texas A&M University); James Cameron, director of such popular movies as "Titanic" and "Avatar"; and 17 others with expertise in geology, soils, frost, atmosphere, imaging and other topics.

The Daily Galaxy via  http://www.nasa.gov/msl. You can follow the mission on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MarsCuriosity and on Twitter @marscuriosity . A full listing of JPL social media accounts is at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/social .
This color image at the top of the page is a three dimensional (3D) view of a digital elevation map of a sample collected by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Atomic Force Microscope (AFM).

The image shows four round pits, only 5 microns in depth, that were micromachined into the silicon substrate, which is the background plane shown in red. This image has been processed to reflect the levelness of the substrate. A Martian particle -- only one micrometer, or one millionth of a meter, across -- is held in the upper left pit.

The rounded particle -- shown at the highest magnification ever seen from another world -- is a particle of the dust that cloaks Mars. Such dust particles color the Martian sky pink, feed storms that regularly envelop the planet and produce Mars' distinctive red soil.

The particle was part of a sample informally called "Sorceress" delivered to the AFM on the 38th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (July 2, 2008). The AFM is part of Phoenix's microscopic station called MECA, or the Miscroscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer.

The AFM was developed by a Swiss-led consortium, with Imperial College London producing the silicon substrate that holds sampled particles.

 Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems

Posted at 12:10 AM | Permalink

Major breast cancer breakthrough made in Irish University

Trinity College scientists use new method to restrict tumors

By CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Trinity College researchers believe they have made a major breakthrough in the treatment of breast cancer

Trinity College researchers believe they have made a major breakthrough in the treatment of breast cancer.
The Dublin college scientists have discovered that blocking a particular stress response can reduce the spread of breast cancer.

The research was based on a study of women with breast cancer in Ireland between 2000 and 2007 with the results just published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Researchers discovered that those taking drugs that blocked a particular hormone related stress pathway had a much lower risk of dying from their cancer.
Dr Ian Barron, a Health Research Board postdoctoral fellow at TCD, led the research team.

“For patients with cancer, higher levels of stress are associated with more frequent disease recurrence, faster disease progression and higher rates of death from cancer,” Dr Barron told the Irish Examiner.

“Studies have suggested how stress hormones such as adrenaline and oradrenaline could play a role in this process, but this is the first study in humans to show blocking the stress response greatly reduces the risk of cancer spreading or metastasizing.”

The results of the research suggest that, when compared to control groups, women taking the stress hormone blocking drugs in the year prior to their cancer diagnosis were less likely to be diagnosed with invasive or metastatic breast cancer than women who were not taking it.

It also argues that women continuing to take the drugs after their diagnosis were considerably less likely to die from the disease in the five years following diagnosis.

3 of the FBI's real life X-Files investigated

From: http://dvice.com/archives/

A memo from FBI agent Guy Hottel that many believe proves Roswell's crashed saucer (more on that below).
It's one of many FBI docs now available.

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation's newly-revamped online "Vault" gives the public easy access to formerly-secret documents that detail everything from counter-terrorism investigations to rundowns on prominent individuals and potentially "subversive" national organizations.
It's a fascinating resource. For example, we were able to discover that the U.S. government spent actual time and money investigating the mid-1960s make-believe band, The Monkees. The curiously heavily-redacted Monkees dossier summarizes the pretend bands' television show as "four young men who dress as 'beatnik types' and is geared primarily to the teenage market." During a Monkees performance, a (name-redacted) source reports that an onstage screen flashed subliminal "left wing innovations of a political nature."
But the Bureau isn't all about keeping tabs on fake boy bands, assessing threatening letters sent to Colonel Sanders, or probing Carl Sagan's tenuous connections to Central American terrorists. They also launched numerous investigations into crazy supernatural stuff! The Vault's features previously secret FBI documents looking into phenomenon usually reserved for Hollywood-style escapism. Here's a look at some of the most fascinating real life X-Files.

---

Mysterious Cattle Mutilations

As early as the 1960s, ranchers throughout several western states reported the mysterious deaths of stray cattle whose mutilated corpses were found butchered with near surgical precision and drained of their blood. Here's some gory details from a 1979 letter between state officials:

[Officer] O'Dell said the steer's scrotum and penis had been removed with surgical precision — a feature common to all previous mutilations — and indicated that patches of hair around the carcass seemed to indicate that the steer had been dropped or bounced — another feature common to all previous mutilations. The steer's intestines had been removed through the hole where the scrotum had been cut out, but were not disturbed.

Slowly, the strange phenomenon — which evidently occurred with some frequency — began to move beyond ranching circles into media and public at large. Rumors spread of helicopters and UFOs hovering over locations shortly before the mutilated bovines were discovered.
As early as 1974, there was some collaboration between the FBI and state investigators looking into the mutilations. But the record shows that by mid-decade local officials grew tired of ineffectual local investigations and began petitioning the FBI to take the lead. These correspondences largely consist of local press clippings detailing the bovine slayings backing up urgent appeals from senators and representatives. The FBI, for its part, seemed mostly reticent to launch an investigation into this spree of mysterious — but decidedly non-Federal — crimes. A 1975 letter from Colorado Senator Floyd Haskell to the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the investigation epitomizes the urgency felt by ranchers in his state:

...The bizarre mutilations are frightening in themselves: in virtually all the cases, the left ear, left eye, rectum, and sex organ of each animal has been cut away and the blood drained from the carcass, but with no traces of blood left on the ground and no foot-prints. In Colorado's Morgan County area, there has also been reports that a helicopter was used by those who mutilated the carcasses of the cattle, and several persons have reported being chased by a similar helicopter.

Freaky.
After lamenting the disorganized and un-serious investigations undertaken by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Senator also goes on to describe a sort of mass hysteria overtaking his constituents.

Now it appears that ranchers are arming themselves to protect their livestock, as well as their families and themselves, because they are frustrated by the unsuccessful investigation. Clearly something must be done before someone gets hurt.

Apparently, the cattle mutilations became common enough that there was even an official mutilation form:

In 1979, a federal investigation into the mutilations was finally launched under the "Animal Mutilation Project." In March of 1980, we have a record of mysterious "flake" samples sent to FBI lab for examination and identification. The flakes corresponded to "a U.F.O. [that] was reportedly observed by a resident of Taos, New Mexico, reportedly hovering over a pickup truck. The next morning the enclosed powder flakes were reportedly recovered from the roof of the aforementioned pickup." The flakes turned out to be white enamel paint.
Documented cases of animal mutilations largely subsided in the U.S. after the federal investigation began (though similar incidences of "horse ripping" continued into the late-1990s in Europe). Officially, the authorities concluded that the mysterious mutilations were largely the work of natural wild life that would often attack the "soft" parts of deceased cows first, such as the ears, eyes, and genitals. Though, to this day, many aspects of the mutilation phenomenon remains officially unexplained.

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Extra Sensory Perception

Declassified CIA documents have revealed that the KGB was investigating the use of ESP (or "remote viewing") until as recently as the early 1990s. While citizens of the Cold War era could sleep better knowing Russian intelligence agency's plans of psychic imperialism didn't go unchecked, who was protecting brave American brainwaves on the domestic front? You may harbor visions of the FBI cultivating a covert Dreamscape team of subconscious commandos with a secret base buried under Mount Rushmore in Franklin Roosevelt's forehead. Unfortunately no super awesome dream warrior base existed.
But, boy, did the FBI want one!
In particular, there was a lot of back and forth regarding the astounding feats of a Richmond, Virginia-area man named William Foos. Mr. Foos used to travel around the mid-Atlantic region giving "demonstrations" of his extrasensory method, which he claimed was both authentic and teachable. Foos could boast some bona fides via past collaborations with Duke University's Department of Parapsychology (the department was the focal point of some ire by established academia in its day and has since divorced from the university and been reincarnated as the independent Rhine Research Center).
Foos, a high-school educated part-time railway employee, never charged admission for his demonstrations, but was actively seeking funding to set up a center which would teach the blind to see. Foos had hopes the proposed center would instate him as the organization's president while hiring various members of his family.
According to the released documents, Foos' presentations didn't do much to sway other government organizations such as the Blind Veterans Association. They did, however, manage to impress at least one agent who took in a demonstration at a D.C.-area American Legion Hall in July of 1957:

Mr. Foos, resident of Richmond, Va., is a high school graduate employed in a minor capacity with the C. and O. Railway. About two years ago he became interested in extra sensory perception (a term probably technically inaccurate) and began experimenting with members of his family. He claims to have achieved amazing success... Very simply, Foos claims the ability to teach the blind to see: in six months to teach a person without eyes to see sufficiently well to drive an automobile safely. He disclaims any supernatural power and, not being a scientist or physician, has no technical or scientific explanation.

After witnessing Mr. Foos' teenage daughter walk about a room while blindfolded, as well as reading and distinguishing colors "with complete ease," the agent speculates:

Should his claims be well-founded, there is no limit the value which could accrue to the FBI — complete and undetectable access to mail, the diplomatic pouch; visual access to buildings — the possibilities are unlimited insofar as law enforcement and counterintelligence are concerned.

I get the feeling think this special agent's brain might explode if he ever saw one episode of Mindfreak.

As fantastic as this may appear, the actuality of extra sensory perception has long been recognized — though not to the degree of perfection claimed by Mr. Foos. It is difficult to see how the Bureau can afford to not inquire into this matter fully. [REDACTED NAME], Bureau interest can be completely discreet and controlled and no embarrassment would result.

And then, unfortunately, the Freedom of Information Act came along and now the whole world is clued into the FBI's secret psychic shame. By 1960, the Bureau still kept a skeptical eye on Foos, but seemed willing to kick his particular skill set on over to the CIA or Army Intelligence.

Foos may, of course, be attempting to commercialize on a "fake trick" he and his daughter and the young boy have perfected. On the other hand there is a possibility that Foos does have extrasensory perception abilities. This, of course, is something we cannot afford to overlook in our work but we should not, however, under any circumstances allow Foos the privilege of indicating to outsiders the FBI is interested in his work... It is believed advisable, however, to have checks made with CIA and the Intelligence Division of the Army to determine what reaction those agencies had after witnessing the demonstration as put on by Foos, his daughter, and the young boy traveling with them.

In June of 1960, an FBI memorandum stated that "[Foos'] alleged powers [have] no scientific basis. Other Government agencies such as Veterans Administration, Central Intelligence Agency and Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence also checked on Foos and were highly skeptical of his work."
As for the FBI's current research into paranormal showmen, that part of the FBI story remains shrouded in mystery. Penn Jillette is pretty upfront with his anti-government views. Teller remains a bit more mum on the subject.

---

Roswell

The majority of the the FBI's unexplained section is dedicated to UFO sightings, and in particular the reported "flying disc" which crashed in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. Roswell has been thrown back into the public's consciousness recently due to the implications in Annie Jacobson's new book about Area 51.
In her book, Jacobson's inside source claims that the Roswell crash did occur and strange child-sized alien-like bodies were recovered from the wreckage. However, according to Jacobson, the "crash" was part of a Soviet plot to disrupt U.S. society and defenses — a plan inspired by the chaos that unfolded in the wake of Orson Wells' War of The Worlds mockumentary broadcast from 1938. Most disturbingly, Jacobson's source claims there were actual child-sized human bodies recovered from the crash that were genetically or surgically altered to resemble extraterrestrials.
Which is almost a stranger concept than visiting aliens.
Here's the text of a 1950 memo from Special Agent Guy Hottel to the FBI Director regarding the Air Force's investigation into Roswell.

The following was furnished to [Special Agent in Charge], [REDACTED TEXT]... An investigator for the Air Force stated that three so-called flying saucers had been recovered in New Mexico. They were described as being circular in shape with raised centers, approximately 50 feet in diameter. Each one was occupied by three bodies of human shape but only 3 feet tall, dressed in metallic cloth of a very fine texture. Each body was bandaged in a manner similar to the blackout suits used by speed flyers and test pilots.
According to Mr. [REDACTED] informant, the saucers were found in New Mexico due to the fact that the Government has a very high-powered radar set-up in that area and it is believed the radar interferes with the controlling mechanism of the saucers.
No further evaluation was attempted by S.A. [REDACTED] concerning the above.

This stands is some contrast to a 1947 memo from the Dallas FBI office to the Cincinnati branch which stands by the official story that the flying disc was a downed weather balloon.
There are literally hundreds of pages regarding UFO investigations in the FBI's vault. Much of these documents include press clippings in addition to correspondences with private individuals and organizations inquiring about the Bureau's investigations into the phenomenon.

---

The truth is out there. And by "out there," we mean photocopied and available online. Happy reading!

For the latest tech stories, follow us on Twitter at @dvice

From World's Drug Capital to Green Oasis: The Incredible Story of Medellin, Colombia (Slideshow)

by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires

from http://www.treehugger.com/

Photo: Medellin Public Works Office.

Medellin, Colombia: This city's name used to strike fear in peoples' hearts. In the 80s and early 90s, it was known as the drug capital of the world and the most violent city on the planet.

But Medellin has come a tremendous distance in less than a decade, thanks to a massive urban planning scheme, head up by the Movimiento Cívico Independiente since 2004.

Its main focus? The greening and improvement of public space to encourage community building.
Main points of the plan include every green urbanite's dream: improvement of diminished neighborhoods, library-parks, new schools and kindergartens, social housing, pedestrianization and greening of streets, new public transport and better security.

Here are 12 of our favorite new architectural endeavors in this city.

Very Large Telescope, Very Stunning Time Lapse Video

 From:
Oh, what the heck. After posting the video earlier showing the Earth rotating around the sky, I might as well show you the original video, since it really is so beautiful. This time lapse shows the sky spinning over the Very Large Telescope observatory in Chile, one of the finest observatories in one of the darkest sites on the planet.

[Set the resolution to 720p to see it properly unenpixelated.]

A couple of things I want to point out: at 1:10 into the video, you see the Milky Way rising majestically over the mountains, and you can see a faint, whitish glow stretching diagonally across the field of view, at an angle to the galaxy. That’s called the zodiacal light, and is caused by the reflection of sunlight by dust in the plane of our solar system. It’s probably due to eons of collisions grinding asteroids into dust; they tend to orbit the Sun in the same plane as the planets. It’s actually a disk of dust, but since we’re in it, we see it as a line across the sky. It’s pretty faint, and you need dark skies to spot it.

I also love the shots of the observatories shooting orange lasers out their domes (here’s a gorgeous hi-res photo of it). They’re fending off attacks by the Goa’uld, Ori, and Wraith using those to help counteract atmospheric distortion; the laser hits a layer of sodium atoms high in the atmosphere and causes them to glow. This creates a bright artificial star in the telescope’s view, which jiggles and wiggles as the atmosphere roils. The way the "star" moves can be counteracted by the telescope, sharpening up the image it makes. This tech, called adaptive optics, has revolutionized high-resolution ground-based astronomy. It has also given the VLT the ability to make incredibly sharp and gorgeous images; see for yourself.

Don’t forget to watch the companion video to this, too. It’ll change your perspective. Literally.
Video credit: Stéphane Guisard and Jose Francisco Salgado/ESO.

Tunnel found under temple in Mexico

From: http://www.physorg.com/
Researchers found a tunnel under the Temple of the Snake in the pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan, about 28 miles northeast of Mexico City.

 

The tunnel had apparently been sealed off around 1,800 years ago.

Researchers of Mexico's National University made the finding with a radar device. Closer study revealed a "representation of the underworld," in the words of archaeologist Sergio Gomez Chavez, of Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History.

Experts found "a route of symbols, whose conclusion appears to lie in the funeral chambers at the end of the tunnel."

The structure is 15 yards beneath the ground, and it runs eastwards. It is about 130 yards long.
"At the end, there are several chambers which could hold the remains of the rulers of that Mesoamerican civilization. If confirmed, it will be one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 21st century on a global scale," Gomez Chavez said late Thursday.

Teotihuacan, with its huge pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, its palaces, temples, homes, workshops, markets and avenues, is the largest pre-Hispanic city in Mesoamerica. It reached its zenith in the years 300-600 AD.

(c) 2011, Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH (Hamburg, Germany).
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Innovative Hangar Home conceals garage mahal

by Aaron Richardson
from http://www.autoblog.com/

Hangar Home – Click above to view video after the jump

When gearheads aren't trawling Craigslist for the next old-lady-owned Chevrolet Chevelle tucked away in a barn, they're dreaming of cool places to put their toys.

Usually, dream garages never become reality. It's rare to find someone with enough ambition and/or cash to make it happen, but credit one Florida couple for creating something remarkable: the Hangar Home.

Their house's rear facade doubles as a garage door that conceals a cavernous work and storage area, complete with a set of cushy-looking armchairs for when the weekend project is over. We can't imagine how long this place took to complete, but all the time and effort really paid off. Click past the jump for two videos of the Hangar Home in action.

[Source: YouTube]

Apple to unveil iCloud, iOS 5 on Monday, June 6

By Tim Stevens

From: http://www.engadget.com/

Had some doubts that Apple was heading skyward? Those lingering concerns can now be put to rest. Apple has confirmed that it will be announcing iCloud on June 6th, what it's calling an "upcoming cloud services offering." That will be part of the keynote for this year's Worldwide Developers Conference, known to the cool kids as WWDC. This is, of course, where everyone has come to expect new iPhones to come to light, but this year we're thinking the focus will be more on software, and indeed Apple's event notice indicates that the big highlights will be Mac OS X Lion and the next version of its mobile operating system, iOS 5. This is a decidedly non-Apple way to announce something big like iCloud, making us wonder what other surprises Steve Jobs will have for us at the event -- yes, he'll be kicking things off. As ever you can find out as it happens here, live.

Show full PR text

Apple to Unveil Next Generation Software at Keynote Address on Monday, June 6

CUPERTINO, California-May 31, 2011-Apple® CEO Steve Jobs and a team of Apple executives will kick off the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a keynote address on Monday, June 6 at 10:00 a.m. At the keynote, Apple will unveil its next generation software - Lion, the eighth major release of Mac OS® X; iOS 5, the next version of Apple's advanced mobile operating system which powers the iPad®, iPhone® and iPod touch®; and iCloud®, Apple's upcoming cloud services offering.

WWDC will feature more than 100 technical sessions presented by Apple engineers. Mac® developers will see and learn how to develop world-class Mac OS X Lion applications using its latest technologies and capabilities. Mobile developers will be able to explore the latest innovations and capabilities of iOS and learn how to greatly enhance the functionality, performance and design of their apps. All developers can bring their code to the labs and work with Apple engineers.

For more details, visit the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2011 website at developer.apple.com/wwdc.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Apple

Watch a new trailer for The Muppets: 'The Fuzzy Pack'

From: http://www.myspace.com/


The Muppets: The Fuzzy Pack

Trailer Park Movies | Myspace Video

'The Muppets' continues the trailer absurdity with 'The Fuzzy Pack' an action/comedy followup to 'Green With Envy,' the romcom tinged trailer of earlier this week. This one features bogus press quotes and your first look at a couple of the celebrity cameos you can expect to see this November, namely, Wanda Sykes and Danny Trejo!

The Muppets' hits theaters November 23, 2011. Synopsis: When Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, and friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater, they help Kermit reunite the Muppets to stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater.

Photography past meets present - best iPhone accessory ever?

by Ty Dunitz
from http://www.techi.com/


It doesn’t get more awesome than this. It does not get more awesome than this. I don’t think anyone can argue that the iPhone already takes pretty swell pictures, as far as phones are concerned – but this is something new entirely.

Black Design Associates have dreamed up this inarguably awesome iPhone/Leica i9 combo that simply begs to be produced for real-real. Can you just imagine this?

Says BDA of the design: “It’s common practice to combine a smart phone with a digital camera, but how do you combine a great smart phone with a great digital camera when your brands may speak to very different categories?”

Apparently, they’ve answered their own question – and how.

More info here: http://www.blackda.com/

How to tell if a man is Gay , Ladies , just use a Boob Cam !

The reaction from these French guys is well ..... normal.? .. or bad ? Or how about this : See the world from a set of Boobs ...

Added: 2 days ago Occurred On: May-28-2011
In: Creative
Tags: boobs
By: denray01
Location: France (load item map)

Meanwhile in Norway

From: http://i.imgur.com/

Scotty McCreery And 7 Other Musicians Who Look Like Cartoons

by Ryan McKee

from http://clutch.mtv.com/

As striking as "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery's deep voice is, it will never be the most striking thing about him. While Mad Magazine hasn't been relevant in at least 20 years, it is still impossible not to think of their mascot Alfred E. Neuman when laying eyes on McCreery. Calling the singer "Scotty McHotty" is like calling a huge bouncer "Tiny." However, his cartoonish looks didn't stop him from running away with the votes on "American Idol," and his Neuman likeness will not keep him from being a country star. Plenty of popular musicians look like cartoon characters. We found seven more, in fact. See the proof after the jump.

Cee Lo Green and Mushmouth

It's a rare sight to see "The Voice" judge and "Forget You" singer Cee Lo without his sunglasses. That's because he's trying to hide the fact he looks like Mushmouth from "Fat Albert."

Taylor Swift and Gadget

The smartest thing Chip and Dale ever did was start the Rescue Rangers, hire Gadget as their mechanic and introduce the world to the cutest mouse cartoon ever. Taylor Swift may be gorgeous, but she owes her image to Gadget.

Dave Navarro and Duke Igthorn

With the greasy goatee and eyeliner, Dave Navarro has always resembled a cartoon villain. It's tough to name which one exactly, until stumbling on Duke Igthorn from the short-lived "Gummi Bears" cartoon from the '80s.

Prince and Jafar

Aladdin becomes a prince at the end of the movie, but it's his evil nemesis Jafar who looks most like Prince. You've got the pencil-thin mustache, the way their lips curl and the fact they're both sorcerers who occasionally wear talismans and magic robes.

Jay-Z and Joe Camel

We're certainly not the first source to point this likeness out. There are a number of photo-shoots that appear as if Jay-Z is intentionally posing like a Joe Camel advertisement. Especially when Hova smokes a cigarette.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony and Lion-O and Panthro

"Thundercats! Hooooooo!" When Marc Anthony stands next to his wife J. Lo, it's tough not to see them as the princess and the troll. Her beauty, the height difference...it's all too much. However, when their both seated and staring seriously into the camera, they are unmistakably one of the greatest duos of all time: Lion-O and Panthro from the "Thundercats." The catlike features, her big hair and his pointy ears make them nearly an exact match.

Images: Getty, Mad Magazine, Camel Cigarettes, YouTube

Bald Penguin Gets a Wetsuit (Video)

From Animal Planet's Weird, True and Freaky series, here's a video about an unfortunate African penguin with a mysterious condition that has caused him to lose his feathers. In the animal world, sometimes different is bad, and this poor little guy wasn't faring so well with the other dominant penguins.

In the wild, he wouldn't have lasted very long. Fortunately for him, his caretakers came up with an ingenious solution to his strange condition.

Song Made with 1000 Pairs of Jeans [Video]

collegehumor.com — I hope he bought them a few sizes too big so doesn't outgrow them musically in a couple months.

"Breastaurant" Chains Have Been Killing It Over The Past Decade

Jason Daley, Entrepreneur

From: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/219606#ixzz1NadXFXl6

Image: Flickr

Franchises inspired by the Hooters model--such as Celtic-themed sports bar chain Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery and faux mountain sports lodge chain Twin Peaks--have expanded rapidly over the last half decade, while corporate-owned chains like Brick House Tavern + Tap and Bone Daddy's House of Smoke are picking up steam regionally. In fact, for the next couple of years, this segment (often referred to as "breastaurants") is poised to be one of the fastest-growing restaurant categories. 

 

Sales figures for this specific niche aren't available, because they are lumped in with the broader casual dining segment--and numbers for the privately held companies aren't publicly reported--but sales at Hooters alone have increased in the last couple of years and average $1 billion annually.

The concept has grown in spite of the recession by focusing equally on upscale comfort food, full bars with extended beer choices, a full menu of sports on TV, and waitresses in tight shirts and short shorts. But the most important aspect of these restaurants is the same element that powers most successful eateries: customer service.

Why is this segment so popular? "It starts with comfort," says Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic, a food-industry consulting firm in Chicago. "These concepts are growing by offering a different level of service and attentiveness.

They provide a service to men who may not have a person at home to take care of them in the same way. That's important to a number of people, and it drives them back."

It's hard to say exactly why these public man caves took hold in the last few years. Some think a shift away from political correctness or toward a more sexualized culture made the concepts more acceptable. Others believe that as Hooters sales flattened and expansion stalled, like-minded entrepreneurs saw a niche that wasn't being filled.

Ron Lynch, CEO of Titlet Kilt.

Ron Lynch, CEO of Tempe, Ariz.-based Tilted Kilt, thinks his concept has been well-received because customers were ready for something new. 

 

"Friday's, Chili's--those kinds of concepts came to be very similar in menu and look because they were chasing the same dollars," Lynch says. "When we sprang up, people were looking for something different."
That's what attracted Lynch to Tilted Kilt in the first place. In 2003, Harrah's in Las Vegas asked restaurateur Mark DiMartino if he had a concept for a space in the Rio Casino. He came up with the Hooters-goes-to-Scotland concept that is still the restaurant's theme. When Lynch--an area developer for Schlotsky's Deli--saw the place in 2005, he was hooked, and approached DiMartino about buying the franchise rights. By 2006, there were three Tilted Kilt franchises in the system. The concept has doubled each year. Lynch estimates Tilted Kilt will have 80 units open by the end of 2011, with another 70 deals for new spots in the pipeline.

There's a lot more going on at the Kilt than just men watching women, Lynch says, pointing out that one of the company's key offerings is "sports-viewing excellence," which translates to 50-inch plasma TVs throughout the restaurant, a full bar with a minimum of 24 beers on tap and a menu that ranges from inexpensive snacks to $19 steaks.

But he acknowledges that the cornerstone of the restaurant is the Tilted Kilt waitress. "We make no bones about it--that's what brings people in," he says. "We sell on sex appeal, but we are sexy classy, sexy smart or sexy cute. Not sexy stupid or sexy trashy."

Randy DeWitt had the same idea back in 2004. After growing his Rockfish Seafood Grill franchise too quickly in the Dallas area, he was faced with having to shut down stores. But instead of writing the locations off, he drilled down into the data and realized that while casual dining was tapering off, Hooters and similar concepts were doing well.

That's when he came up with Twin Peaks, a franchise based on a mountain lodge theme, where the girls wear plaid tops, suspenders and hiking boots.

"I knew guys like me would like a man cave where the waitresses are pretty and friendly, and we thought we could create a concept sufficiently differentiated from Hooters," DeWitt says. "I thought Hooters had taken the low-brow route, and we're taking the high road. We have higher-quality food, and the uniforms on our girls are more finished. Hooters is more blue collar. We do well where Hooters isn't accepted."

DeWitt's experiment worked, and he soon began converting more of his seafood restaurants into mountain lodges. Now Twin Peaks has 14 locations, with two under construction and five more in development.
What makes the restaurant stand out, besides the waitresses, DeWitt says, is its commitment to quality. All mugs are frozen, and a special draught system ensures that every beer pours at 29 degrees. They have a full line of top-shelf whiskey, and their skilled bartenders know their booze. The food is all fresh--even fryer items like mozzarella sticks, which are hand-cut, breaded and cooked to order.

But as restaurant consultant Tristano indicates, the true differentiating factor of the modern "breastaurant" is service. Most customers aren't satisfied with brusque service--they want a conscientious server and a meaningful connection.

"Everybody else is rushing toward technology with kiosks that you order off of and servers who slip food to you around the corner. We're going the other way," Lynch says. "One of our mantras during training is that we want to make a connection with our guests. We practice 'touchology,' which means touch the table often, and make guests feel at home. Sometimes waitresses are providing the best part of a guest's day."

Twin Peaks' DeWitt agrees that fostering connections is the key to a restaurant's success, especially when it breeds repeat customers. In fact, some waitresses become mini-entrepreneurs on their own, using Facebook or Twitter to let regulars know what shifts they'll be working or what specials the restaurant is offering.
"When we see regulars walk in the door for lunch, the hostesses and waitstaff greet the guy by name," DeWitt says. Regular customers often ask for certain employees to wait on them, he says, and waitresses are instructed in how to connect with guests.

"We have a certain language and we train that among our waitstaff," DeWitt says. "If you ask for a beer, the waitress will ask 'Do you want the man size or the girl size?'"

Tristano confirms that the servers drive the concepts. "The increased service is absolutely the core, not the food," he says. "I suspect a lot of this segment's success has to do with server training and hiring the right people."

Though this segment of the market is definitely heating up, none of the concepts thinks they are in danger of saturation, especially since their numbers are fairly small and they're not targeting the same geographical areas. Instead, they worry about competition from sports-oriented concepts like Buffalo Wild Wings. In fact, DeWitt says today's market is similar to the one from which Hooters emerged in 1983.

"It seems like Hooters had the whole segment to itself back then, but if you do the research, they had a raft of competitors that popped up--often with really crass names like Mugs 'N Jugs--before Hooters emerged as a clear national leader," he says.

DeWitt is wagering that most of his competitors in the male-bastion market will try to grow too fast and flame out at the regional level.

"Every concept wants to grow and be nationwide, but you have to lay in the infrastructure for growth before going into build-out," he says. "You have to bring in highly talented operators that can manage rapid growth. We're not trying to grow faster than we're capable."

The concept is still evolving. Brick House Tavern + Tap--owned by Ignite Restaurant Group, the company behind Joe's Crab Shack--touts itself as the ultimate man cave, with more than 70 beers, alcoves filled with theater-style seats outfitted with trays where customers can watch the game with friends, and special 100-ounce beer bongs with their own taps. So far, the concept has opened in seven states.

As innovative as they might be, can these concepts survive if they cater only to half the population (and the one that doesn't always choose where to dine)?

"I think these concepts have to target women to be successful," Tristano says. "One third of their customer base is female, and they have to make an effort to make women feel comfortable."

Lynch thinks Tilted Kilt, at least, is succeeding with the female demographic. "I characterize ourselves as very PG-13," he says. "When a guy empties his pockets on the dresser and his wife sees a Tilted Kilt receipt, it's going to be fine. I was surprised when franchisees started asking for high chairs. We are no threat to women, and we train our servers to make a connection with women at the table first."

Although the women may be on board, there's no question that these concepts cater first and foremost to manly appetites.

"Why do regular customers come in three times or more a month?" DeWitt asks. "What more could a guy ask for: great food, sports, beer and a cute girl to look at. We don't go real deep."

This article originally appeared at Entrepreneur.

McDonald's drive through refuses to serve horse and cart couple, KFC less bothered

By Ali Plumb
from: http://www.asylum.co.uk/

October last year, we brought you the news of a horse and its rider popping down to a Welsh branch of McDonalds for a couple of McSugar cubes. Last week, there was the story of another Welsh man trying to take a pregnant pony onto a train.

Today? It's a lady on a horse and cart who got turned away from a Derbyshire drive through – but managed to find a KFC who would serve her down the road.

McDonald's said no to Debbie Murden, 42, from Pinxton in Derbyshire, because of 'health and safety reasons' saying that they can only serve certain vehicles – not including horse and carts, it seems.

"They said it was dangerous," Debbie said. "I'm not sure who they meant it was dangerous for, them or us or other people in the drive-through. But there was no danger there."

"I got in touch with McDonald's head office and asked why, if horses and motorbikes are not allowed through, are there no signs to say so? And why is it different from branch to branch?"

"We're sorry to have disappointed Ms Debbie Murden and for any confusion caused," said a McDonald's spokesperson, adding: "The health and safety of our customers is our top priority and for this reason we are unable to serve customers in a horse-drawn carriage."

Ah, what party poopers these McDonald's types are. They should learn to enjoy horses, be they in cars, dragging people along on skateboards or boasting ludicrous names. They really are a fun animal, and no mistake.

Read more: http://www.asylum.co.uk/2011/05/27/mcdonald-s-drive-through-refuses-to-serve-horse-and-cart-couple/#ixzz1NaagbMzc

Tags:   animals - drive through - horse - horse and cart - kfc - mcdonalds