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THE OFFICIAL JURASSIC WORLD TRIUMPH SCRAMBLER

During filming of Jurassic World, three custom Triumph Scramblers were built for use by Chris Pratt in a number of memorable scenes, including one of the most iconic parts of the film in which Pratt’s character rides his Scrambler through the jungle flanked by Velociraptors while hunting the Indominus Rex.

The three Scramblers were identical in every way, and Pratt fell in love with them. After filming drew to a close he requested to keep one and Triumph kindly obliged, one of the others was shipped to Triumph’s headquarters in England for a permanent display. The final bike is now being auctioned off on eBay in support of The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride – an annual event and charity dedicated to raising funds for prostate cancer research.

It’s very unlikely that either of the other bikes will ever enter the public domain, Chris is said to be inseparable from his Scrambler and the bike on display at the Triumph HQ represents one of the most important milestones in the company’s long history. So anyone wanting to own an official Jurassic World Scrambler has just one opportunity, it’s likely that we’ll see the enthusiastic bidding carry on as more and more people discover that it’s listed for sale.

Each of the three Jurassic World Scramblers has been modified with a single seat, a gear rack, an Arrow Racing high-level exhaust, custom footpegs, tracker handlebars and the bike is finished in matte green. The bike you see here is offered in exactly the same condition it was in when it finished filming – and if you look closely you’ll see a little mud and a few scratches acquired on set. The auction winner will also receive a certificate of authenticity, which will be important as it’s likely that we’ll see a lot of clones popping up over the next few years.

If you’d like to see the auction or bid on it yourself, you can click here.

[MIKA27]

The Mystery of the White Shark Café

The oceans of the world are home to all manner of dangerous and frightening creatures. This kill or be killed ecosystem has given rise to fanged beasts, stinging killers, and a menagerie of all manner of toothed, spiked, spined, and poisonous organisms of all shapes and sizes. Yet of all these the most feared, respected, and indeed misunderstood remains the majestic, terrifying, and oddly beautiful great white shark. Now for most people one of these huge, deadly fish is scary enough, but imagine hundreds of them coming together in a mass of fins and serrated teeth, a congregation of stealthy death straight out of our nightmares. Far out in the Pacific Ocean one such place exists. It is a place to which these ferocious sharks are inexorably drawn in vast numbers, which perhaps even more frighteningly is for reasons that scientists have not even begun to comprehend.

The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known variously as the great white, white pointer, white shark, or white death, is a large shark that can reach lengths of over 20 feet and weigh 3 tons, and is the only known surviving member of the genus Carcharodon. They are found in cool coastal waters around the world and through movies and their fierce appearance have developed an image as silent, merciless underwater killers. One habitat of great white sharks is off the coast of Central California and its offshore islands, a population that is most probably genetically distinct, which preys mostly on marine mammals such as seals or sea lions, the occasional fish or sea bird, and are not above the occasional surfer as well. With its enormous bulk, beady black eyes, gaping maws, formidable jagged teeth, and its reputation as a man-eater, the great white is one of the most highly feared creatures in the ocean, its very presence enough to make some people shun going into the water altogether.

For such a large and notorious creature, the great white shark is still largely an enigma. The sharks are famously elusive and unpredictable, making studying them and gleaning some understanding of what makes them tick a tricky business. Very little is known of these sharks’ habits, and their movements were long considered to be a total mystery. It has only been in the past decade that mobile shark cages and satellite-enabled tracking devices have really been able to shed some light on where these magnificent predators go, how deep they dive, their migration patterns, and feeding habits. It was known that they spent half of the year in their feeding grounds close to shore, but it had long been a complete mystery as to where the sharks went for the rest of the year. The only thing that was really known for sure was that the sharks could migrate over mind bogglingly vast distances, with one individual shark, affectionately named Nicole, once tracked from South Africa to Australia and back, a total distance of an incredible 12,400 miles.

What is known now thanks to tracking studies conducted by researchers from Stanford, UC Davis, and the Point Reyes Bird Observatory and the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation, the great white sharks of California spend about half of the year, from August to February, prowling waters close to shore off the Farallon Islands, Año Nuevo Island and various points off Central California, including occasional and undoubtedly unsettling forays into San Francisco Bay, all of which comprises a region rather ominously referred to as The Red Triangle. The sharks like it here because there is abundant prey, such as sea lions, harbor seals, and elephant seals, as well as plentiful fish and sea otters in these waters, which the solitary predators devour with relish. Starting in around December, the number of sharks in the area begins to dwindle as they begin to head out of the area to new feeding grounds. Data showed that about 20% of the sharks made their way to the Hawaiian Islands, and although great whites are typically solitary loners, they all followed approximately the same route and exhibited a very well-defined migratory pattern. Once in Hawaii, it is suspected that they feed on humpback whales or their placentas. Yet although the tracking data gave researchers a lot of answers and insight into great white behavior, it also opened the door to an enduring and perplexing mystery which has been yet to be solved.

The tracking studies showed that while 20% of the Californian great whites headed to Hawaii to feed and generally freak people out, a large portion of the sharks opted to consistently congregate at a well-defined, secluded, remote patch of ocean in the middle of the Pacific, located about halfway between the Baja Peninsula and the Hawaiian Island in order to… well, no one really knows. There are several things that make this behavior strange. For one, the area where the sharks are gathering is seemingly just a random spot in the middle of nowhere. There is no indication or evidence of any particular reason why so many sharks should all want to come to this one specific area, and it was never considered as a shark habitat previously. It isn’t even particularly understood how the sharks even find this place time and time again considering there seems to be nothing remarkable about the area at all. There is also the fact that the spot where all of these great whites are gathering is basically a barren wasteland, the ocean’s equivalent of a desert. It is not a productive feeding ground, with no virtually no prey here to attract the large sharks, making it all the more bizarre that they should find this place so alluring. Even stranger still is that they will opt to linger in this barren area for months on end even without any discernible prey before heading back to California to where all the seals are. Despite no one having the slightest idea of why so many great whites come here, they continue to do it year after year, and the area was coined the “White Shark Café” by researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in 2002.

There are other odd features of the White Shark Café concerning the behavior of the sharks that come here as well. While great white sharks are usually solitary hunters that rarely fraternize with their own kind and generally avoid each other, they come to this mysterious area in great numbers and in close proximity as they languish about apparently doing nothing. It is practically unheard of for so many great white sharks to come into such close proximity, in such concentrations, for such long lengths of time, and researchers haven’t been able to figure out why. With so many of the ferocious predators cruising about out in the middle of nowhere, one can only imagine how terrifying a sight this must have been for whoever first laid eyes upon it. Another mysterious behavior exhibited by the sharks at the White Shark Café is all of the diving they seem to be doing during their journey here, as well as upon arrival. While great whites have been tracked to do some impressively deep dives on occasion, on the way to the White Shark Café the sharks were found to make truly epic dives, sometimes plunging as far as 3,000 feet or more down into the dark depths. Once they arrive at the White Shark Café they dive to depths of around 1,000 feet over and over again, approximately once every 10 minutes or 30 to 96 times per day, which is far more often and deeper than is typical. Again, no one knows why.

There are a few theories as to why the great white sharks come here to this remote and desolate stretch of water in such vast numbers. One idea is that they come here to mate, yet none of the sharks have been observed actually engaging in such behavior or giving birth, and the presence of juvenile sharks below breeding age here also seems to cast doubt on the idea. Another idea is that they are here to intercept some sort of mobile food source such as schools of tuna or billfish, yet these fish are typically too fast for the sharks to reliably catch. One of the more interesting theories is that the white sharks are not here to catch tuna, but rather something much larger and more mysterious; the giant squid. The constant deep dives the sharks make and the presence of sperm whales, known predators of giant squid, reported from the area from time to time seem to support this notion. Perhaps the White Shark Café is only an ocean desert at the surface, but holds some prime giant squid hunting grounds way down in the inky depths. Yet for all of the speculation and theorizing, it is still completely unknown as to what draws so many great white sharks here year after year, for what has probably been millennia.

Cracking the secret of why California’s great white sharks come to the White Shark Café is considered to be a very important step in learning about the behavior and movements of these elusive monsters, which face a serious threat of disappearing forever without us ever really having understood anything about them. This is especially true in light of the recent discovery in DNA studies performed at Stanford University that the great white shark population of the Northeast Pacific seems genetically distinct from other populations around the world, having descended from a small number of sharks from Australia and New Zealand around 200,000 years ago and proceeding to evolve in isolation. This new information suggests that the estimated 1,000 Californian great white sharks remaining could be the last of their kind, putting them in a very vulnerable position indeed. Learning more about the sharks’ enigmatic behaviors, such as why they go to the White Shark Café, may shed more light on these misunderstood beasts and their role within the ecosystem as a top predator. For now, though, these reclusive beasts of our nightmares cruise through the depths on their own inscrutable missions, defying many of our attempts to understand them and posing more questions than answers, not the least of which is a remote, unremarkable patch of water to which droves of the toothy beasts cannot resist flocking to.

What does the White Shark Café mean to these sharks? Why do they come here in such large numbers? What are they seeking when they penetrate hundreds of feet down into the dark cold? Are these things that we will ever understand or just some of the many secrets the great white sharks will likely always keep to themselves as they have for millions of years? Whatever the answers may be, just remember that when you hear a report of a single great white terrorizing an area just remember that out there across the deep blue sea, out over the horizon past those churning waves, there is a place where hundreds of them lurk; circling, diving, their intent as murky as the depths to which they dive.

[MIKA27]

Beware of Live Giant Squids and Full Moon Super Crabs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZEN85kj2-s

While swimmers on the east coast of the U.S. continue to worry about sharks, Russian sailors pulling in their catch had something far bigger to deal with. A Russian fishing boat attracted a giant squid, a legendary deep sea creature rarely seen alive. If that doesn’t keep you from the beach, researchers have discovered that a full moon gives male sand fiddler crabs super strength in their massive claws along with a super libido. If Jules Verne were alive, he’d be giddy!

A video of the giant squid encounter shows Russian sailors attempting to extract a large fish from the squid’s larger tentacles. They manage to eventually drive it away with a pole, but not before the squid gives them a look at its awe-inspiring profile. While it’s hard to tell the size of this one, giant squids (Architeuthis) can reach an estimated 13 meters (43 feet) in length and are found in all of the oceans. A similar species, the colossal squid, can hit 14 meters (46 feet) and only lives in Antarctic waters. There’s no indication where this ship was trawling. The sight of a live giant squid must have freaked the crew out, but it’s to their credit that they let it return to its deep sea home.

Closer to the shore, the latest edition of the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology reports on the monthly super powers of sand fiddler crabs (Uca pugilator). The females lay eggs during full and new moons to take advantage of tidal waters that sweep the eggs and larvae safely out to sea. Meanwhile, courting males duke it out with their single gigantic large claw for breeding privileges. Researchers discovered that these claws grow in size, mass and pinching strength during the full and new moon periods, regardless of how much the males eat, allowing them to fight off better-fed crabs with smaller claws.

Here’s a question: does a blue moon act like a little blue pill for crabs?

Giant squids and crabs with super powers triggered by a full moon. Who needs myths when we have these real monsters among us?

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Spitting Armadillos Are Turning More Floridians into Lepers

Is there any creature in Florida (including humans) that can’t kill you? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the number of Floridians contracting leprosy (yep, the famous biblical disease that launched a thousand miracles) has doubled in the first half of 2015. And what do they blame for this increase? Spitting armadillos!

The first surprise is that leprosy is still a disease we deal with. In an average year, there are 150-to-250 cases of Hansen’s Disease, the clinical name for leprosy, in the U.S., with most of them reported in the southern states, especially Texas and Louisiana. While the numbers are holding steady in most areas, Florida, which had ten cases in all of 2104, has already seen nine cases in 2015. So what does this have to do with spitting armadillos?

Leprosy is caused by the bacteria mycobacterium laprae and transmitted via secretions from the nose and mouth of people with untreated cases of the disease. When not treated, leprosy can cause nerve damage, muscle weakness and skin inflammations. The disease was brought to the Americas by Europeans and passed on to one of the few other creatures who can contract it – armadillos. Don’t ask how this happened – some questions are best left unanswered.

Armadillos were obviously upset because they’re now giving leprosy back to humans. In most previous cases, the disease was passed when humans ate armadillos (probably tastes like a bowl of chicken). In Florida, it seems that the armadillo population is moving to the suburbs and homeowners are capturing them in cages where a close look at the critter can get you a face of … you guessed it … armadillo spit. The spit contains the bacteria and it gets easily passed backed to humans as sweet armadillo revenge.

Fortunately, leprosy is no longer the biblical scourge nor the “leper colony” disease of yore. It can be treated with a multi-drug therapy. That doesn’t mean Floridians or anyone living in southern states can start grilling dillo burgers or poking them in cages (maybe that’s how armadillos first got leprosy!). It’s estimated that at least 20 percent of all armadillos have leprosy. So keep your distance from all of them, especially the spitters.

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With the Sicilian Mafia in Decline, Who Is Running the Mob in Montreal?

Vito Rizzuto was the Steve Jobs of organized crime: charismatic, visionary, and shrewd enough to run a billion-dollar enterprise with tentacles reaching from Montreal to New York, South America, and Europe.

Because of its location along the St. Lawrence river and proximity to US markets, Montreal has always been a major point of entry for drugs, guns, and basically whatever else you can fit into a shipping container.

And for the good part of three decades, Rizzuto had his hand in almost every racket in the city, heading a "consortium" of organized crime which included Colombian cartels, Irish gangs who controlled the city's port, and Hells Angels who took care of distribution of drugs across Quebec and Ontario.

Rizzuto's death in December 2013—from natural causes—has left many speculating about his replacement and sources VICE spoke to hinted at a dramatic decline in the Sicilian Mafia's power in Montreal and Canada since his passing.

With the rise of Haitian street gangs, the imminent release of numerous Hells Angels from prison, and rival Italian factions, there is no shortage of conspiracy theories surrounding Vito Rizzuto's replacement. Chief among those theories is that the Ontario-based Calabrian mafia, also known as the 'Ndrangheta, is moving in and getting revenge after having been violently pushed out of the city by Vito's father in the 1970s.

But this line of thinking is deeply flawed, said RCMP Staff Sergeant Chris Knight, because it assumes that Vito Rizzuto can even be replaced.

"No one's got the credibility, no one's got the clout, and certainly no one has the charisma that Vito Rizzuto had—and I've met him—to make allies out of enemies. No one has that right now," Knight told VICE.

Knight has been with the RCMP for 34 years and works with local, provincial, and international law enforcement to monitor organized crime in Quebec. His squad has seen no sign of rival Italian gangs moving to replace the Rizzuto's, as certain media and observers have speculated.

"We haven't seen attempts or power moves from Hamilton or Toronto on establishments or persons here. And we haven't received any information on the street to that effect either. It's a myth. I've always heard these things about New York and Toronto controlling Montreal but nothing could be further from the truth."

Antonio Nicaso agrees. He has authored 27 books about organized crimes and acted as a consultant for the government on these. In his most recent book Business or Blood he writes extensively about the final years of Rizzuto's life and the implications of a post-Vito world.

"I don't see anyone with the same vision as Vito Rizzuto. His mafia was the real one, not a cheap imitation," Nicaso told VICE. "Rather than fighting over turf, they are now trying to create a balance of power where different organizations will work together. So it's a group of people rather than one person like Rizzuto who was a master mediator capable of striking alliances and reaping huge profits through criminal enterprises."

What is certain, for both Knight and Nicaso, is that the Sicilian Mafia no longer wield the power they once did in Canada. All signs point to a decentralization and instability—not a replacement.

"Their monopoly or their stranglehold is not what it used to be. It's greatly diminished. They have lost a lot of power and there have been a lot deaths in the family," said Staff Sergeant. Knight.

"You're going to get struggles for street corners like you see in New York. In New York, it's basically whoever has the biggest gun or the most soldiers gets the street corner for the distribution of narcotics and other organized crime activities."

In 2010, Vito Rizzuto's father and his son, both named Nick, were gunned down within months of each other. The murders took place during a period of intense fighting wherein rival Italian factions, namely New York's Bonanno family tried to take advantage of the power vacuum created after Rizzuto's imprisonment in Colorado. He had been deported and was serving time for his involvement in the triple murder of Bonanno family captains in 1981.

FBI surveillance photo of Vito Rizzuto (in black) from 1981, the same year he was involved in a bloody triple murderimmortalized in the film 'Donnie Brasco.' Photo via United States Department of Justice

Earlier this month, Raynald Desjardins pleaded guilty to conspiracy in the murder of Sal "the Iron Worker" Montagna. Desjardins was Rizzuto's right-hand man during the golden years of his reign and, according to wiretaps, one of the only two non-Italians to be "made" in the Mafia.

Montagna was the acting head of New York's Bonanno crime family who tried—and failed—to replace Rizzuto as the boss in Montreal. Obviously, their relationship soured and Desjardins's car was showered with AK-47 fire north of Montreal in 2011. Two months later, Montagna's body was found floating in the Assomption River.

Desjardins's case is a salient reminder of just how complex and delicate the balance of power can be for organized crime in Montreal. The city has seen a period of relative calm in recent months but that doesn't mean that it's stable or lasting. Based on the RCMP's analysis, all signs point to splintering drug turf and increased instability.

"It's very volatile on the street. Whereas ten years ago, if there's one thing that Vito Rizzuto had it was the ability to gather people, negotiate truces, and make arrangements that everyone made money. With him being gone, it's more volatile now."

Ironically, this volatility is directly linked to the effective police work done by the RCMP who arrested almost 100 suspected mobsters in Project Colisée and pretty much every Hells Angels patch member during Operation Sharqc.

Obviously, these arrests did nothing to curb the demand for drugs and, according to sources who spoke with VICE, all of that demand was absorbed by notoriously unstable Haitian street gangs who are plagued with internal Bloods-Crips rivalries and have effectively replaced the Hells Angels on the street. Sources also pointed to the fact that the notoriously racist Hells Angels will want their old drug turf back and will not be pleased with the fact that black gangs are now in control. There's trouble a'brewing in la métropole.

"The Hells Angels will definitely become more and more important, that goes without saying," said Antonio Nicaso.

Knight agreed: "They're going to want more territory and more cheap drugs and a monopoly over extortion or illegal gambling. There will be conflict for sure. It's all about money and power. And the more players you have, the less you have to go around."

Without Rizzuto's unifying and stabilizing influence, the current period of relative calm is likely to be short-lived. And in order to survive in a post-Vito world, the Sicilian Mafia will have no choice but to rebrand. Unlike stereotypes propagated in the media, the Mafia in Montreal isn't all about guns, drugs, and prostitutes—it's actually more boring than that.

Last September, the Charbonneau Commission wrapped up. The inquiry heard testimony from almost 200 witnesses and exposed a massive criminal conspiracy involving the mob, construction companies, unions, and high-ranking municipal employees—a reminder that crime in Montreal was able to fester in an environment of political collusion.

In fact, the findings of the Commission led to the resignation of mayor Gerald Tremblay and to the arrests of Laval's former mayor and Montreal's interim mayoron gangsterism and corruption charges, respectively (all of which makes Rob Ford seem pretty benign, Toronto).

"The Mafia is strong and powerful is because they were capable of infiltrating our society and our politicians. What they used to do with the gun, they now do with corruption, relationships, and contracts," Antonio Nicaso said.

"They are not as strong and powerful anymore mainly because they are not able to replace Vito Rizzuto but without connections to those who hold the power and money, the Mafia would just be a bunch of hooligans."

[MIKA27]

UUNI 2 WOOD-FIRED PORTABLE PIZZA OVEN

Nothing rivals the pies cooked up in that fancy pizza oven by your favorite local pizza joint. And until now, these ovens were items often reserved for restaurants and the rich. Meet the Uuni 2 Wood-Fired Portable Pizza Oven.

Built from ultra durable stainless and powered by energy-dense wood pellets, Uuni gives you the flavor of authentic wood-fired pizza without ever having to leave your home. The portable unit reaches temperatures of 840°F (450°C), which is hot enough to cook a pie in just 118 seconds, also making it more convenient than delivery. In addition to cooking the best pizzas in the neighborhood, you’ll also be able to cook flatbreads, salmon, vegetables and even steak in a matter of minutes. The Uuni will set you back $299, and is currently available online. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

POD IDLADLA

The Pod Idladla is an impressively designed pre-fabricated modular nano-home that is as versatile as it is unique. Crafted in South Africa, the Pod Idladla is specifically built to have a number of different configurations to suit your own needs.

The units fit into a 17-square-meter box and can be positioned in various configurations to form larger, multi-use living areas. Each space is crafted with standard drywall construction materials such as steel, aluminum and wood, and they’re designed to have more than one use; you’re not in a living room or a dining room, you’re in a dine-in-living task room. The mezzanine bedroom fits two comfortably. The Pod Idladla also comes standard with a front deck, encouraging indoor-outdoor living and a relaxing environment. Pricing isn’t available for the Pod Idladla just yet, as the company is still reviewing costs. But, think about how little time you’d waste cleaning your dwelling if your living space were this size — that’s more time you can spend doing other things. [Purchase]

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Timex Weekender Oversized Chrono

An iconic watch possess timeless style. No matter the decade, you can strap it to your wrist and look sharp. This blue-faced Timex Weekender Oversized Chrono fits the mold at a fraction of the price of other iconic watches. Complete with an interchangeable leather NATO strap, the stylish timepiece is outfitted with a chronograph, date window, and an Indiglo night-light. And with the ability to swap straps, the Timex Weekender Oversized Chrono can move effortlessly from poolside to office to date night and back.

[MIKA27]

SANDISK CONNECT WIRELESS STICK

It's about time the flash drive was re-imagined, and SanDisk is probably as good a candidate as anyone to take on that challenge. With their SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick, they've added Wi-Fi to the flash drive, allowing you to transfer files, videos, and music easily from your smartphone, tablet, or computer. Just install the app on your mobile device and wirelessly save and access your photos, videos, and files — or share with multiple devices at once, even if the stick isn't in the same room.

[MIKA27]

The Nile From Space Is A Long, Meandering Line Of Light And Life

As views go, astronauts aboard the International Space Station get a pretty good deal. Like this sensational sight of the Nile at night — a glowing line of light and life cutting through the expanse of Africa.

The picture shows the Nile flowing from central Africa down the image towards the Mediterranean. You can see vibrancy and life lining its banks, which then grows wider towards the mouth of the river — the Nile Delta, which is both heavily farmed and populated. The river flows 6,650 kilometres along the way, providing water to more than 300 million people.

The image was acquired by astronaut Scott Kelly, who’s been aboard the ISS since March 2015.

[MIKA27]

Declassified secret FBI files prove Hitler escaped to Argentina in 1945

NEWLY DECLASSIFIED FBI DOCUMENTS PROVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT KNEW HITLER WAS ALIVE AND WELL, AND LIVING IN THE ANDES MOUNTAINS LONG AFTER WORLD WAR II

On April 30 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his underground bunker. His body was later discovered and identified by the Soviets before being rushed back to Russia. Or was it?

Is it really possible that the Soviets have been lying all this time, and that history has purposely been rewritten?

No one thought so until the release of the FBI documents. It seems that it is possible that the most hated man in history escaped war torn Germany and lived a bucolic and peaceful life in the beautiful foothills of the Andes Mountains.

The Intelligence Community Knew

Recently released FBI documents are beginning to show that not only was Hitler and Eva Braun’s suicide faked, the infamous pair might have had help from the Swiss Director of the United States OSS himself, Allen Dulles.

In one FBI document from Los Angles, it is revealed that the agency was well aware of a mysterious submarine making its way up the Argentinian coast dropping off high level Nazi officials. What is even more astonishing is the fact that the FBI knew he was in fact living in the foothills of the Andes.

Who is the Mysterious Informant?

In a Los Angeles letter to the Bureau in August of 1945, an unidentified informant agreed to exchange information for political asylum. What he told agents was stunning.

The informant not only knew Hitler was in Argentina, he was one of the confirmed four men who had met the German submarine. Apparently, two submarines had landed on the Argentinian coast, and Hitler with Eva Braun was on board the second.

The Argentinian government not only welcomed the former German dictator, but also aided in his hiding. The informant went on to not only give detailed directions to the villages that Hitler and his party had passed through, but also credible physical details concerning Hitler.

While for obvious reasons the informant is never named in the FBI papers, he was credible enough to be believed by some agents.

The FBI Tried to Hide Hitler’s Whereabouts

Even with a detailed physical description and directions the FBI still did not follow up on these new leads.

Even with evidence placing the German sub U-530 on the Argentinian coast shortly before finally surrounding, and plenty of eye witness accounts of German official being dropped off, no one investigated.

Even More Evidence is Found

Along with the FBI documents detailing an eye witness account of Hitler’s whereabouts in Argentina, more evidence is coming to light to help prove that Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun did not die in that bunker.

In 1945, the Naval Attaché in Buenos Aires informed Washington there was a high probability that Hitler and Eva Braun had just arrived in Argentina.

This coincides with the sightings of the submarine U-530. Added proof comes in the form of newspaper articles detailing the construction of a Bavarian styled mansion in the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

Further proof comes in the form of architect Alejandro Bustillo who wrote about his design and construction of Hitler’s new home which was financed by earlier wealthy German immigrants.

Irrefutable Evidence that Hitler Escaped

Perhaps the most damming evidence that Hitler did survive the fall of Germany lies in Russia. With the Soviet occupation of Germany, Hitler’s supposed remains were quickly hidden and sent off to Russia, never to be seen again.

That is until 2009, when an archeologist from Connecticut State, Nicholas Bellatoni was allowed to perform DNA testing on one of the skull fragments recovered.

What he discovered set off a reaction through the intelligence and scholarly communities. Not only did the DNA not match any recorded samples thought to be Hitler’s, they did not match Eva Braun’s familiar DNA either. So the question is, what did the Soviets discover in the bunker, and where is Hitler?

Even former general and President Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote to Washington.

It was not only General Eisenhower who was concerned over Hitler’s compete disappearance, Stalin also expressed his concerns.

In 1945, the Stars and Stripes newspaper quoted then General Eisenhower as believing that the real possibility existed of Hitler living safely and comfortably in Argentina.

Official OSS pictures show possible appearances of Adolf Hitler in 1944

For those of you who think Hitler could not have lived for so long without people identifying him, please note that even a slight change in appearance can alter a person’s entire physiognomy:

The first one is a genuine picture of Adolf Hitler and the following five were made by Eddie Senz, a New York make-up artist, for the OSS on 6 June 1944.

Would you have recognized him in the 2nd, 4th, 5th or 6th pictures, even if you were to see him face to face, in a foreign country? (Please remember that these pictures represent only very small changes of the facial hair and haircut, not plastic surgery).

Is it Possible?

With all of the new found evidence coming to light, it is possible and even likely that not only did Hitler escape from Germany; he had the help of the international intelligence community.

Released FBI documents prove that they were not only aware of Hitler’s presence in Argentina; they were also helping to cover it up.

It would not be the first time the OSS helped a high ranking Nazi official to escape punishment and capture. Look at the story of Adolf Eichmann who was located in Argentina in the 1960’s.

Did Hitler escape to Argentina? The answer is yes.

[MIKA27]

Top Gear Trio Sign With Amazon (Not Netflix) For Brand New Show

Amazon has announced that Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May will be reuniting to create “an all-new car show” that will be exclusively on Amazon Prime.

The new show will be produced by the old-time Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman and is scheduled to go into production “shortly.” It will apparently appear on screens in 2016. For what it’s worth, Jeremy Clarkson has said that the move makes him “feel like I’ve climbed out of a bi-plane and into a spaceship.”

It’s interesting to be an Australian observer to this news, especially given that Amazon’s Instant Video product doesn’t see the light of day down under. We’ll keep our ear to the ground to see if a local partner is announced for the new-look Top Gear.

If not, time to fire up those VPNs again, readers.

[MIKA27]

Even Cleaning The V-22 Osprey Looks Cool

Here’s a really great shot of a US marine cleaning the tilt rotors of a MV-22B Osprey. Seeing the rotors this close and seeing the marine get dwarfed by them and then not being able to see the rest of the aircraft makes it seem as if the rotors are connected to a monster of a machine. The Osprey is so damn cool.

The Marines writes:

A Marine with the “Greyhawks” of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 (Reinforced), 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), wipes down an MV-22B Osprey after takeoff and landing drills at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The Marines are in Kenya to support President Barack Obama’s visit.

[MIKA27]

London's Crazy Olympic Park Tower Is Being Turned Into A Giant Slide

Anish Kapoor’s Orbit Tower, built to somehow celebrate the Olympics and give people a reason to visit East London once the event finished, is getting a reworking. It’s being turned into an enormous helter skelter, in possibly one of the greatest public planning decisions in millennia.

The tower will eventually house a staggering 180m enclosed tunnel slide, which will loop the tower five times before delivering passengers — probably screaming and leaving a trail of their own urine and faeces behind them — to the bottom along a 50m straight deceleration stretch.

You will, of course, have to pay for the trip, but organisers are hoping to keep the price low, with an expected ticket price of just $10 being punted by the managers of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It’s due to open for business next spring.

The park’s visitor relations boss said: “What more exciting way to descend the ArcelorMittal Orbit than on the world’s longest and tallest tunnel slide? We are committed to ensuring our visitors have the best possible day out every time they visit Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and as with all our venues, we are constantly exploring ways to ensure we lead the way with the latest visitor experience. This slide really will give a different perspective of Britain’s tallest sculpture.”

[MIKA27]

Solving A 7x7 Rubik's Cube In Just Over Two Minutes Is Miraculous

Yesterday Australia’s Feliks Zemdegs managed to break the world record for solving a 7×7 Rubik’s Cube in just over two minutes and twenty-three seconds. For those of us who still have trouble just zipping up a jacket, watching him spin and unscramble this cube is incomprehensible.

Once the scrambled mess was revealed, Feliks just needed a few moments to look over the cube before diving right in and solving it. And it’s not like he was working in complete silence either. There were other contestants milling around, and an announcer on an intercom all serving as distractions. But that didn’t stop Feliks from doing what he does best, and in record time.

[MIKA27]

This Is The Quietest Place In The United States

If you really want to get away from it all, head to Washington State. There, on a trail along the Hoh River, in the rain forest of Olympic National Park, only 40 miles from Seattle, it’s what one scientist has deemed the quietest place in the contiguous United States.

An incredible story in Outside follows acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton into the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest in his quest to find the “quietest square inch” of America. Over a decade ago, after studying sound for years, Hempton suddenly and inexplicably lost his hearing, and began to research the concept of quietude instead:

Hempton’s hearing began to return 18 months later — again out of nowhere — and shortly thereafter, he made it his personal mission to visit natural spaces in all 48 continental states in search of the quietest place he could find. Though he didn’t measure decibles in every square inch of the country, he experienced enough of them to know true quiet when he heard it. He marked his choice with that red pebble, three miles into Olympic National Park, and named the spot One Square Inch of Silence (OSI). It’s the rare place in America that is absent of human-made noise for up to 20 minutes at a time.

Since 2005 Hempton has been on a mission to protect America’s quiet places, arguing that sound is as vital as physical landscape to preserving the habitats and well-being of local wildlife. But quiet places are also becoming endangered. In 2010 a documentary was made about Hempton’s project, which explains how places he formerly deemed quiet are getting louder.

It’s amazing that it’s still possible to find such a pronounced quietness in a popular national park, but I found myself wondering how Hempsted decided this was definitely the spot. Surely it’s far more quiet somewhere far away from hiking trails and more than 40 miles from a major city? But then again, perhaps the rain forest does wonders for absorbing sound — like nature’s white noise machine.

Seeking some peace and quiet? Navigate to 47°51’57.5″N, 123°52’13.3″W. Or you can simply head toHempton’s website and enjoy the silence through his recordings.

MIKA: He looks an awful lot like Bruce Campbell to me.

[MIKA27]

A Religious Mystery Is Found Buried At Jamestown

A team of Smithsonian researchers has been studying the remains of four men discovered in Jamestown, Virginia, the site of England’s first successful colony. Two years of forensic detective work revealed their probable identities — but the biggest mystery is a sealed silver box found in one of the graves.

The bodies’ burial at the Jamestown church site indicated high status, which has been confirmed by the findings of the investigatory team. The men’s bones held evidence of a high-protein diet though the colony suffered years of privation and famine, including a dire period known as the “Starving Time,” where cats, dogs, mice and even human flesh was consumed.

Further cementing the social status of the buried men is the presence of lead in their remains. Doug Owsley, head of physical anthropology at the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History, explains:

If you come from a high-status household you’re going to have greater exposure because of where it comes from – pewter and fancy glazed ware. Pewter in this early time period was something for display but it leaches lead into the food you’re eating off the plate.

Pewter cooking ware was for the wealthy, and the two of the bodies, identified as Sir Ferdinando Wainman, a cousin of Virginia’s governor, and Captain William West, the governor’s uncle, contained the most elevated levels of lead. The other bodies are likely Rev. Robert Hunt, the first Anglican minister in America, and early expedition leader Captain Gabriel Archer. Rev. Hunt’s body faced West, towards the people that he served; but it is Captain Archer’s grave that intrigued researchers the most, as it contained an completely unexpected object.

A small, sealed silver box, hexagonal in shape and etched with the letter “M,” was discovered on top of Captain Archer’s coffin. The box has not been opened for fear of damaging its contents, but scans show that it contains seven fragments of bone and pieces of a lead ampulla, which would have been used to hold holy water, blood or oil. Researchers have identified the box as Roman Catholic reliquary — an extremely surprising find in an Anglican colony at a time when tensions between Catholics and Anglicans were at a fever-pitch.

“It’s the most remarkable archaeology discovery of recent years,” says James Horn, president of Jamestown Rediscovery, the group leading the dig at the church site. (The church, long since gone to ruin, is famous for holding the wedding of the Powhatan Pocahontas to colonist John Rolfe in 1614.)

Research has revealed that Captain Archer’s Catholic parents were persecuted for their faith back in England. It’s possible that their son maintained the religion of his birth in secret. But who would have buried him with the Catholic relic? Was Archer’s religion openly known? Did others in the colony hold the heretical faith? The Washington Post reports:

Archer was not known to be Catholic. But his parents in England had been “recusants,” Catholics who refused to attend the Protestant Anglican Church, as required by law after the Reformation.

Horn wondered: Was Archer a leader of a secret Catholic cell? In 1607, George Kendall, a member of the settlement’s governing council, was executed as a Catholic spy, according to Jamestown Rediscovery, and Horn said Tuesday, “I’m beginning to lean more to the Catholic conspiracy.”

Captain Archer

The box itself is a further mystery. Examination shows that it is made from non-English silver, originating from Continental Europe decades prior Jamestown’s 1607 founding. Horn believes that the reliquary “was a sacred, public,” considering the its size and the presence of so many bones; private worship items were much smaller — locket-sized, meant for personal use. The M silver box would have been an object intended for veneration.

Relying on X-rays, the box’s contents appear to show human bones, and plastic copies have been rendered via 3D printing for further study. There are no plans to open to mysterious box, though it will go on occasional display to the public.

The untold stories and newfound possibilities of Jamestown are exciting, and bound to spark further interest in the colonial site. The work of the archaeologists and scientists have combined to furnish a tale that armchair historians like me can’t stop reading about. Further excavation of the Jamestown site is planned, though it’s a race against time: the dig is under threat of rising sea levels and could be flooded by the end of the century, taking its secrets to a far deeper grave.

[MIKA27]

White House Responds To Petition To Pardon Snowden With A Hard Pass

Two years after 167,000 US citizens filed a petition to pardon Edward Snowden, the White House finally answered. The answer: Strong “no.” In a belated response, Homeland Security advisor Lisa Monaco accused Snowden of “running away from the consequences of his actions.”

When a petition surpasses 100,000 signatures through the government’s official petitioning platform, the White House is supposed to respond. Even though the Snowden petition had more than 167,000 signatures, it looked like it was going to get ignored.

Here’s the full White House response:

Thanks for signing a petition about Edward Snowden. This is an issue that many Americans feel strongly about. Because his actions have had serious consequences for our national security, we took this matter to Lisa Monaco, the President’s Advisor on Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. Here’s what she had to say:

“Since taking office, President Obama has worked with Congress to secure appropriate reforms that balance the protection of civil liberties with the ability of national security professionals to secure information vital to keep Americans safe.

As the President said in announcing recent intelligence reforms, “We have to make some important decisions about how to protect ourselves and sustain our leadership in the world, while upholding the civil liberties and privacy protections that our ideals and our Constitution require.”

Instead of constructively addressing these issues, Mr. Snowden’s dangerous decision to steal and disclose classified information had severe consequences for the security of our country and the people who work day in and day out to protect it.

If he felt his actions were consistent with civil disobedience, then he should do what those who have taken issue with their own government do: Challenge it, speak out, engage in a constructive act of protest, and — importantly — accept the consequences of his actions. He should come home to the United States, and be judged by a jury of his peers — not hide behind the cover of an authoritarian regime. Right now, he’s running away from the consequences of his actions.

We live in a dangerous world. We continue to face grave security threats like terrorism, cyber-attacks, and nuclear proliferation that our intelligence community must have all the lawful tools it needs to address. The balance between our security and the civil liberties that our ideals and our Constitution require deserves robust debate and those who are willing to engage in it here at home.”

Why did it take so long? Maybe the White House was trying to figure out a less-hollow way to pitch platitudes about the specter of terrorism as excuses for immuring its surveillance apparatus from meaningful criticism, but it eventually gave up, because Monaco is still running these tired lines. It’s insulting to the people who signed this petition that Monaco is insisting that Snowden could’ve affected meaningful change on NSA policy from within.

[MIKA27]

This Material Wouldn't Melt, Even At The Center Of The Earth

Researchers have discovered a material that could break the record for the highest melting point of any substance.

A team of Brown University engineers found that a combination of hafnium, nitrogen, and carbon, in just the right amounts, could withstand 4,400 kelvins, or around 4,127 degrees Celsius. To give you an idea, that’s two-thirds the temperature of the sun’s surface. The outer core of the Earth can hit 4,300 kelvins,for further mind-blowing reference.

The team figured this out through a series of computer simulations that “[infer] melting points by simulating physical processes at the atomic level.” The results were published in the journal Physical Review B.

Possible uses — other than a ship that bores into the Earth’s core — include high performance heat shields.

According to a release from Brown:

The work could ultimately point toward new high-performance materials for a variety of uses, from plating for gas turbines to heat shields on high-speed aircraft. But whether the HfN0.38C0.51 compound itself will be a useful material isn’t clear.

The next step, which scientists are already tackling: Actually synthesizing the material and experimenting in a lab. Journey to the center of the Earth TBD.

[MIKA27]

A Spanish Coin Worth $680,000 Was Just Found In A Florida Shipwreck

If you’ve ever seen a guy waving a metal detector around on an empty beach and immediately judged him as a crazy Illuminati-fearing moon-landing-denier, know this: There’s still plenty of treasure to be found at the bottom of the sea. Including rare gold coins valued at half a million US dollars each.

On June 17, a salvage vessel using nothing but a simple metal detector unearthed the remains of a Spanish shipwreck that’s spent the last three centuries collecting barnacles on the seafloor less than a thousand feet off the coast of Fort Pierce, Florida. It turned out to be the haul of a lifetime: Nearly a million dollars worth of gold coins and chains, including an extremely rare Spanish coin known as the Tricentennial Royal that’s worth $681,570. That’s the shiny round one pictured in the middle above.

According to LiveScience:

The ships that once carried the valuables set sail from Cuba on July 24, 1715, when the island was a Spanish colony. The ships’ mission was to transport the riches below deck to Spain, which at the time was waging a war against France and was desperately in need of money to fund battles.

But the ships never made it to Spain. A hurricane off Florida sank all but one of the 12 ships on July 30, 1715. The so-called “1715 Fleet” has been a treasure-hunter’s fantasy ever since. In 2010, Brent Brisben and his father, William, obtained permits to explore the wrecks in search of sunken riches.

A family owned and operated salvage vessel, appropriately named “Aarrr Booty,” was subcontracted to explore several different shipwrecks for Brisben’s company (1715 Fleet Queen Jewels, LLC.) And in June, while diving near Fort Pierce, Aarr Booty’s owners scored big. Their recent haul included 51 gold coins, forty feet of golden chain, and the Tricentennial Royal, one of only six such coins minted for King Philip V of Spain. As Aarrr Booty captain Eric Schmitt told LiveScience, the silver dollar-sized Tricentennial was made by pouring molten gold into a cast, an uncommon procedure in that day and age. It’s unusually round, extremely rare, and incredibly valuable.

Brisben’s salvage company owns the rights to five of the 11 ships that sank in July of 1715, and the latest haul seems to have only whet his appetite. He figures there’s still about $US440 million dollars worth of Spanish treasure strewn about on the Florida seafloor, including the queen’s jewels — part of an elaborate dowry that was supposed to be brought to Spain by the ill-fated 1715 fleet.

No one can say whether those elusive jewels, or any other fabled artifacts, will ever be found. But it’s clear that the notion of buried treasure is just as alluring today as it was when pirates ruled the high seas.

[MIKA27]

The Youxia X Electric Car Is A Stunning Chinese Tesla Knock-off

Want a Model S (or the upcoming Model 3) but can’t quite afford the pricey electric supercar? As always, China has the answer with a lower cost clone that looks surprisingly good. But what’s under the hood?

While the similarities are clear, calling the Youxia a Tesla clone is perhaps a little unfair. In fact, in many ways it takes the geeky electric car love to an extreme Tesla never did.

The Youxia X will come in 40kWh, 60kWh or 85kWh versions, with 220, 330, and 460 kilometer ranges respectively.

But most importantly, what is the price? Depending on spec, the cars range from about $45,000 AU to $65,000 AU in China. While there are no Australian prices, the car attracts a $20,000 green car subsidy in China, so prices will be higher.

Around $80,000 to $100,000 could be a likely price down-under — if the car ever makes it here of course.

So what sort of performance do you actually get for your money?

The cars use a single 260 kW (348 HP) electric motor that has 440nm of torque. The car will hit 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds.

To put that is perspective, the single motor Model S we have in Australia has a 285 kW motor, and can also do 0-100 in 5.6 seconds.

Like the Tesla, the Youxia X has a large touchscreen mounted in the place of traditional dash controls.

The Youxia X has plenty of other unique features that you won’t find on a Tesla.

For a start, the Youxia name came from the Chinese name for the Knight Rider TV series. The cars operating system is based on Android 5.0 and is actually called KITT OS.

Round the front, the grill has an embedded display inspired again by Knight Rider. See the Youxia logo? You can customise it to show whatever you want.

Don’t like the spaceship like whine of electric cars? The Youxia X can feed other sounds through the audio system, such as the exhaust note of your favourite Ferrari or Jaguar.

Youxia was started by 28 year old Huang Xiuyuan, who has said that he first saw the X in a dream back in 2014. That’s fair enough too – I have been dreaming about owning a Tesla Model S for even longer. Just I haven’t assembled a crack team of engineers and designers to make it happen.

The Youxia X is slated to go into production in 2016, with the first deliveries in 2017.

So, would you be willing to save a little cash and go for the admittedly awesome Youxia over a Tesla?

[MIKA27]

This Duck Burger Topped With Duck Confit Must Be So Decadent

Duck is delicious. Fatty and rich and more flavorful and tongue punchy than chicken in every single way that I’m drooling over this duck burger topped with duck confit, pickled red cabbage, gruyere cheese and drizzled in hoisin sauce. It’s like if America and Asia and France teamed up to make a burger without beef.

See how it was put together by Cook with Meat. I want it so bad.

[MIKA27]

Watch A MiG-29 Take Off And Immediately Shoot Up Vertically Into The Sky

Wow, this is so cool. Here’s a MiG-29 fighter jet taking off from a runway and then immediately launching vertically into the sky. The takeoff looks completely normal and innocuous until the jet is a few feet off the ground and then it just zips up like it’s riding the world’s fastest invisible elevator.

[MIKA27]

MAMMOTH BONE DAMASCUS STEEL KNIFE

These knives by the master bladesmiths at Santa Fe Stoneworks have 33 layer Damascus steel blades with handles carved from mammoth bone, each is a one-off creation and no two look quite the same.

The unique layering you can see in the blade is thanks to the folding and hammering required to create Damascus steel, it has a core of vg-10 steel with 16 layers of stainless on either side to produce an exceptionally sharp blade that won’t rust or corrode. The mammoth bone used to make the handle is responsibly sourced, it’s estimated to be over 15,000 years old and its hardness and natural water-resistance make it an ideal material for handle creation. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

You’ll Have 12 Hours to Get Ready for the Solar Storm That Could Paralyze the World

Last time it happened, in 1859, the world’s telegraph machines sparked into life on their own—setting fires and electrocuting their operators. Next time the results could be truly devastating.

The next super solar storm could paralyze the world’s electricity supply, down communications, disrupt trains and planes, and halt navigation devices.

The British government now warns that we may only get 12 hours’ notice, and “much more needs to be done” to protect ourselves.

These powerful solar eruptions are almost impossible to accurately forecast, but their impact could be similar to the Electromagnetic Pulse weapons that were successfully tested by the U.S. Air Force earlier this year.

The Carrington Event of 1859 bombarded Earth with the most powerful solar flare-related X-rays and radiation storms on record as well as a Coronal Mass Ejection.

This ejection followed a violent eruption on the surface of the Sun and sent an immense cannonball of magnetized particles hurtling towards Earth at more than a million miles per hour.

In those days, telegraph operators were about the only people to notice anything beyond an unprecedented aurora borealis dancing in the skies as far south as Cuba.

The sudden shutdown of today’s interconnected global web of computers and electricity would bring us to our knees.

Every year the chance of one of these galactic cannonballs striking Earth is about 1 percent.

One hundred and fifty six years after the last one, our luck could run out any day.

Professor Alan Woodward, Department of Computing, University of Surrey, said the impact would be “devastating.”

“For that very reason the military have developed so-called Electromagnetic Pulse weapons that can shut down large areas without causing a great deal of physical damage. But what man can do, nature can do on a much larger scale,” he said.

“Without computers the modern world would simply cease to function. Life as we know it would grind to a halt. It is therefore scary to know that these computers are remarkably susceptible to electronic interference which can bring about this situation.”

According to the new document prepared by the Cabinet Office, satellites, electricity grids, and telephone communication would be among the worst affected.

The impact on the phones would be even worse in the U.S. where a relatively new phone system, which requires both GPS and power simultaneously, has been introduced.

“There is the potential [for] wide-ranging impacts. These include power loss, aviation disruption, communication loss, and disturbance to (or loss of) satellite systems,” the report said. “Interdependence of some systems means that infrastructure has become more vulnerable to its impacts in the last few decades.”

“Generally speaking, the faster the ejection, the greater the potential impacts. The Carrington event, for example, travelled to Earth in as little as 18 hours. It is therefore likely that our reasonable worst case scenario would only allow us 12 hours from observation to impact.”

The report says improvements in preparedness have been made in areas such as aviation and central government co-ordination. “However, more needs to be done especially in sectors which have had lower awareness of the risks posed by space weather, such as the rail and financial services sectors and local responders.”

Daniel Baker, co-author of the National Research Council’s report on solar-storm risks, said satellite communications would be knocked out and giant transformers could be blown out of the power grids by solar particles.

“Imagine large cities without power for a week, a month, or a year,” he said at a major geophysics summit in 2010. “The losses could be $1 to $2 trillion, and the effects could be felt for years.”