XIAM007

Making Unique Observations in a Very Cluttered World

Tuesday 24 September 2013

“Naked and Scared Challenge,” visitors to strip down to nothing and enter one of their haunted houses completely nude -

“Naked and Scared Challenge,” visitors to strip down to nothing and enter one of their haunted houses completely nude - 



The phrase, “that scared my pants off,” will take on a new meaning this Friday in Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania.

“If you know you have no protection, you become very vulnerable and I thought ‘Wow! That would be amazing in a haunted house.’”
- Patrick Konopelski, president and owner of Shocktoberfest

An attraction at Pennsylvania's "premier haunted scream park," Shocktoberfest, will be offering nude tours of its haunted house.

Labeled the “Naked and Scared Challenge,” the unique brand of Halloween experience asks visitors to strip down to nothing and enter one of their haunted houses completely nude.

According to Patrick Konopelski, president and owner of Shocktoberfest, the inspiration came from Discovery Channel’s show “Naked and Afraid,” in which two castaways must survive in the wild without any outer wear.

Konopelski came up with idea after watching an episode of the show at home with his four teenage children.

“I’m watching these two people running around naked in the woods and they were genuinely scared,” Konopelski told FoxNews.com. “If you know you have no protection, you become very vulnerable and I thought ‘Wow! That would be amazing in a haunted house.’”

Now Shocktoberfest will invite its guest to experience the same kind of fear. Participants will walk through the haunted house called “The Unknown,” themed to a former industrial park filled with zombies.

The patrons are offered two options: nude or prude. They can go through the haunted house completely nude or wearing only their underwear. 

For those who do decide to go with the Full Monty, they won’t have to worry about many onlookers, as the Naked and Scared Challenge takes place at midnight after all other customers have left. The attraction will also only be offered to guests 18 years of age or older.

For guests afraid of being caught in the nude, a fully clothed option is available during normal business hours as well.

According to the Shocktoberfest website, the attraction will have plenty of security on staff during the naked hours to ensure there is no inappropriate behavior.

A disclaimer on the site reads:

Shocktoberfest has created this experience so their customers can explore a new level of fear. This is about fear and pushing oneself out of their comfort zone. This is not about sex. No sexual misconduct, inappropriate or disrespectful behavior will be tolerated.

*Please note there is an additional cleaning charge if we scare the p*ss out of you!

Konopelski admits that there has been some criticism of the new clothing-free addition to Shocktoberfest, citing some very heated debates that have occurred on the event’s Facebook page.

“I have been involved in the haunted house business for 27 years,” writes one user. “This is the worst idea I have ever heard of. I wonder if they have informed their city officials of this idea? If not, the first complaint to the mayor and this will be shut down.”

“Its [sic] mostly going to be a bunch of fat old creepy men in there lol,” writes another.

Konopelski says he did initially have trouble convincing everyone -- from city officials to his wife -- that the idea was a good one, but now he says the response has mostly been positive.

“A lot of people have preconceived notions about what it may become,” Konopelski told FoxNews.com. “It’s just consenting adults given the opportunity to be as vulnerable as possible in a haunted house…The beautiful part about living in America is that if you’re a consenting adult and you want to experience something you should have the right to do it.”

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Parisian cat cafe offers "purr therapy" to animal-lovers -

Parisian cat cafe offers "purr therapy" to animal-lovers - 



Customers braving the rush at Paris's newest cafe to order their coffees and croissants, are now able to enjoy them in the company of a dozen resident cats.
The "Cafe des Chats" in the heart of the capital's chic Marais district is home to a dozen felines who weave in between the tables or curl up on armchairs as diners tuck in.
The establishment is aimed at Parisians unable to keep pets in cramped city-centre apartments and though the idea may seem eccentric, cafe manager Margaux Gandelon says the potential health benefits of "purr therapy" are real.
"Purring produces vibrations which relieve arthritis and rheumatism, which lower your blood pressure and your heartbeat," Gandelon said.
This month's opening weekend saw queues snaking along the pavement and bookings taken from now until November. Some 300 potential customers had to be turned away.
Gandelon says animal welfare is paramount and customers are prohibited from subjecting the cats to undue stress. She is prepared to evict any customers who fail to play by the rules although she admits she is more lenient with the animal residents: "Cats are cats," she said.
The animals themselves are abandoned and stray cats adopted from pet rescue centres. Among them is Habby who suffers from feline dwarfism with a stunted tail and unusually short paws.
Despite two years spent with foster families the sweet-tempered tabby was never adopted but has now settled down to cafe life.
Visiting the cafe out of curiosity, business student Florian Laboureau described it as a "great concept", but admitted he is more of a dog person.

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White House Celebrates Bisexual Visibility Day -- With Closed-Door Event... -

White House Celebrates Bisexual Visibility Day -- With Closed-Door Event... - 



Did you know that today is Bisexual Visibility Day?

You may not be aware, but they are at the White House and will be celebrating with an official event.

Seriously, this is not a joke.

Today, in honor of Bisexual Visibility Day there will be a White House roundtable discussion “about issues facing the bisexual community” attracting bisexual activists from around the nation.

This first-time White House event was called to my attention on Sunday when I saw a piece in the Miami Herald with the headline, “A voice for bisexuals, Miami activist heads to D.C.”

The piece highlighted Luigi Ferrer who is program and grants development director for Pridelines Youth Services. The Miami Herald reports:

“I am the Florida representative,” said Ferrer, a longtime bisexual activist who joins about two-dozen others at the roundtable, which coincides with international Bisexual Visibility Day on Sept. 23.

“They decided to celebrate bisexuality day by inviting the national bisexual leadership roundtable to the White House for a policy meeting,” said Ferrer, who received an email invitation about a month ago from the Barack Obama administration.

“It’s a testament to this administration that they are focusing on all elements of the LGBT community and they should be applauded for hosting an event focused on some of the specific issues impacting bisexual people,” said Michael Cole-Schwartz, spokesman for HRC,Human Rights Campaign in Washington.

Intrigued by today’s White House roundtable discussion, I did a quick check and found in the Washington Post a piece dated August 22 announcing the event that included this puzzling statement:

“The White House will hold a closed-door roundtable discussion on issues facing bisexuals Sept. 23.”

Why a closed-door roundtable discussion in the “People’s House?” Wasn’t Obama’s administration supposed to be the most transparent ever?

I am shocked.

“Shocked,” because with all that is going on in our nation and the world, how does the White House find the time and resources for such an event?

Wouldn’t you just love to know what this bisexual “roundtable discussion” is costing the American taxpayer?

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