THE ECONOMY OF WAR: US Army's new 'superchopper'

 

 

 

 

Thus, when we get into absurd dialogs with various half-baked "sniffer" types, by our estimation "tasked" with burning up our time as "they" exist for no other purpose than to prevent broad efforts at delegitimization, we simply demonstrate the level they have to attain. Thus far, they fail miserably.  You see, "Nuclear 9/11" is a proven fact, long an official finding of the US government and, over the past months, re-proven with dialogs such as this.  Enjoy this for what it is, a rare opportunity to sit at the big kid's table. ] _______________________________ The discussion below is a rare glimpse into the world of modern warfare and weapons design. The participants are the author and one or more members of America’s advanced weapon research facilities. We begin our discussion examining potential elements used to replace plutonium in both reactors and weapons as well. Below is the unclassified part of a discussion covering subjects that may well define not only warfare but human survival as well as seen from inside the advanced weapons research community. _____________________________ Q: Shouldn’t we be replacing Plutonium in our weapons and fuel programs now that America’s production capability is declining? 155mm nuclear munition A: We have so much PU already in storage. Why break something that is not broke? This is the same argument that the Thorium people are claiming. Yes Thorium will work in a reactor but why. Its efficiency is too low. You still need uranium to get it started, just less. Neptunium will work but why? It takes at least twice as much and production rates would be one tenth as much. Why build a new breeder reactor just to make more radioactive fuel and waste when we have over 100 tons of PU already made and in storage. The other issue is testing. NO new weapons can be made or tested. End of story, PU works and it is cheaper. This is just another physics test. Q: America is losing its capability of maintaining the “big bomb” inventory that is the basis of the START agreements from back in 1991. A: Nuclear criticality designs up until now have all been based on these big bomb concepts. Today it’s the micro nuke. How small can you make it? 911 was the demo for what small nukes can do. The clock cannot be reset. This was called a fizzle back in the 1950′s and 60′s but a fizzle still goes bang. It is just a much smaller bang. So they ignored it. Today the war fighting doctrine has changed. Q: How does this fit into our smaller military concept? A: We are out of troops and a jet fighter costs 65 million dollars each. So the emphasis is on drones, cruise missiles and robots to do the fighting for you. A 3 kiloton nuke weighing 100 lbs. replaces 20 B-52 bombers. Do the math, which one is cheaper? And the PU is paid for, it’s free. We don’t have to make it we already have it in stock. Micro nukes can be mass produced fast and cheap when needed. Just assemble and test. Cruise missiles weighing less than 1,000 lbs., not 4,000 lbs. Any plane can drop one. Even a Cessna 150 can be turned into a drone. Mortars and tanks can shoot the rounds. Man-pad / RPG micro nukes are just around the corner. Nuclear tipped hand grenades and 36 mm rounds are next. Q: What kind of small nuclear weapons are in the pipeline? A: Even a blob of PU-239 the size of a quarter (250 grams) will go bang if compress properly and adequate neutron reflection is used in the design. That’s enough PU to make a minimum 25 plus ton bang. Remember even if the fizzle rate is equal to 1 kilogram of PU, it makes a 1 kiloton bang. So 1gram of PU is equal to 1 ton of TNT. Q: What can you tell us about working in these micro nuke programs? A: Even at Sandia the biggest fear is PU Flakes going off by accident during machining of PU-239. If it is improperly compressed; it will make a very small explosion. If you fill a glass vile with PU-239 oxide flakes add some acid and compress it properly you will get a small nuclear chain reaction in the single ton range. It is called a nuclear Co-hearer, Detonator, Trigger or “Red Mercury.” Put that into a 40mm grenade launcher and it will drop a small building or take out any bunker ETC. PU in a liquid state is more dangerous than in a solid state. It only takes 480 grams of PU in a liquid state to form a critical mass. Q: We have a lot of conflicting information about “critical mass” in the design and operation of “after 2nd generation” weapons. What can you tell us? A: Critical mass is bases on surface area, density and compression size of the PU. This effects how efficient the neutron reproduction process will be. If it is too small you lose too many neutrons. But with a proper neutron reflector that problem can be eliminated. The only problem is in how small you can physically compress the PU and how well. Q: In earlier discussion we went over why W54 warheads were used for 9/11 and how oblong pits had been remachined. How critical is shape and design of pits? A: They do not have to be perfectly spherical in order to go off. That only effects efficiency of the design. It will still detonate. Before 2000 this was called a fizzle design. Today it is called a micro nuke. Q: What are the current applications for these technologies? A: Before 911 nobody wanted it, just like the Neutron bomb. Today after Iraq and Afghanistan it is all the rage. Every battle field commander wants them. It is the perfect force multiplier. If we had that in WW2 the losses that we suffered at Normandy, Iwo Jima and Tarawa would never had happened. Q: What will these weapons look like in the future? A: Plastic injected molded mass produce missiles, mortars and drones that are tipped with micro nukes will be all of the rage in the next major conflict. This makes everything big obsolete. 1980′s era Tanks, Artillery, bombers and ships are all just junk waiting to be scraped, blown up or sunk. Q: Based on what you are saying, the US has made irreversible strategic blunders in defense planning. A: Thanks to Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, we are now stuck with 1980′s technology based weapons that no longer work as designed. They are cold war era weapons systems designed to fight cold war era weapons. Those days are over. The B-52 can’t get thru. SAM’s have to be mobile. Fire finder radar finds artillery so it has to shoot and scoot. An RPG can take out any tank now. Nobody wants to lose a battleship or the Kaiser will be upset, just like in WW1. You could not afford to lose it because it cost too much. The B-1, the F-22, the F-35, the M1 Abrams tank, the 155 self-propelled howitzer, the Trident sub and the super-carrier are the classic examples of this kind of thinking. Big everything equals big profit for Boeing ETC. Q: How did America let itself be outmaneuvered like this? A: While we have been living off 1980′s Space Shuttle technology the world caught up. Now the Space Shuttle is scrap and we have nothing to replace it with, why? The microchip replaced the typewriter and internal guidance systems and the laser replace the M-16 and dumb artillery. Saddam lost because he bought the wrong weapons systems. We lost Vietnam and Korea for the same reasons. The two biggest feared weapons of WW2 were the German MG-42 machine gun and the German 88 mm howitzer, not the Tiger tank or the Me-262. Those two weapons killed more men than any other weapons system. With the Jap’s it was the 40 mm tree mortar. In Korea it was the Chinese 82mm mortars that did us in. In Vietnam it was cheap rockets, booby traps and ambushes. In Iraqi it was the IED. In WW1 it was the Maxim machine gun. Technology changes with time and we are stuck in a 1980′s mentality. Everybody else just simply watched us, studied our systems and tactics, then they simply bypassed us. Q: What should a nation with too much heavy hardware do? A: Look at the Germans and the French today, they are dumping all of their heavy tanks, artillery and jets for smaller, lighter, cheaper and meaner weapons systems that are new. We are still stuck with weapons designs from the 1980′s. Nobody goes to war using Enfield rifles or M-1 Garand’s any more. The bull-pup is all the rage. The m-16 is so 1960′s and the AK is so 1950′s… We need new weapons to fit the modern battlefield and not more 1980′s junk. The F-22 and F-35 were technology demonstrations that failed. Scrap them now. The B-58 supersonic bomber, the B-2 stealth bomber and the F-117 stealth attack bomber; Well they only worked for a short period of time then they became obsolete. How much did we waste on them? Why? Who profited? Now we have junk Trident subs with no replacement warheads that work. Why? We had to withdrawal the M-1 tank due to improvements in RPG technology. The F-22 was assigned to national guard units, just like the F-102 was. Why? Because it doesn’t work. Just replace them with a stealth version of the F-16 and the F-18; they work. This is what Japan and South Korea are doing.  You just make a stealth version of the F-5 / F-20 in both the manned and un-manned (Drone) versions. Cheap effective and affordable. It could become the US Army's new 'superchopper' - able to transport troops, carry heavy goods and be fitted out as a flying gunship. This futuristic helicopter from Texas firm AVX is the frontrunner to win a $100bn contract from the Pentagon for the next generation of attack helicopter. It uses two rotors to create lift, while fans propel it forward to reach 230 knots. Scroll down for video +4 The AVX chopper entry is what¿s called a compound coaxial helicopter. It has a pair of rotors spinning in opposite directions on top of the carbon-fiber fuselage to lift it, and two fans at its rear end to push it. HOW IT WORKS The AVX design is made up of counter rotating rotors on top and twin ducted-fans in the rear of the aircraft, which eliminates the necessity for a tail rotor. The coaxial-rotors creates lift, while the fans provide forward thrust to reach the 230 knots require by the U.S. Army for the Blackhawk replacement. The concept also has small wings in the front of the aircraft that create additional lift.  'The AVX design offers the capabilities the Army wants for the future fleet of utility and attack aircraft at a very attractive price,' the firm, also called AVX, says. 'The AVX JMR aircraft has entry doors on both sides of the fuselage as well as a large rear ramp for easy cargo handling. 'Additionally it has retractable landing gear and the attack variant (see below) carries all armaments stored inside until needed which provides a “clean” aerodynamic design. AVX has teamed with a number of experienced aerospace companies for development of the AVX JMR/FVL design. 'The teaming concept has allowed AVX to keep the cost of development and eventual production of the aircraft lower than those of other offerings while maintaining a high level of performance by the aircraft.' The firm is among four vying for a $100bn contract for the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator, and the firms are expected to begin a 'flyoff' contest in 2017. +4 The AVX chopper will come in several configurations, carrying cargo, troops and the injured +4 The design will replace the Black Hawk, shown here With this signing, the Army has taken a large step toward developing a new family of aircraft referred to as. 'This is a critical risk reducing effort for the Future Vertical Lift Family of Systems,' said Maj. Gen. William Crosby, Program Executive Officer for Aviation. 'The operational benefits and changes will depend on the capabilities we can deliver to the war fighter with FVL. 'Improved speed, range, reliability, and survivability are critical goals that we will target.' The AVX, which could replace the Blackhawk, is what's known as a compact coaxial-rotor/ducted-fan concept. It is made up of counter rotating rotors on top and twin ducted-fans in the rear of the aircraft, which eliminates the necessity of a tail rotor. The coaxial-rotors creates lift, while the fans provide forward thrust to reach the 230 knots require by the U.S. Army for the Blackhawk replacement. The concept also has small wings in the front of the aircraft that create additional lift.  The aircraft will weight 27,000lb (12,000kg), lift 13,000lb (5.900kg), and carry 12 combat troops plus 4 crew members. +4 The superchopper can also be fitted with advanced weapons and missile systems According to DefenceTalk, the AVX design is the frontrunner for the contest. 'AVX’s coaxial-rotor/ducted-fan concept increases efficiency in all aspects of flight, while reducing vibration,' it said. 'Out of all JMR concepts presented by the competing parties, none look as complete, practical, futuristic, and ready as AVX’s aircraft. 'It is thrilling to see how new ideas broad by a startup aircraft company, few people ever heard before, will stack-up against the arrogance of the U.S. defense establishment.'

The research arm of the Pentagon announced a technological breakthrough  releasing footage that shows successful tests of self-guided .50 caliber bullets, claimed to be the first of its kind. According to a news release by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance (EXACTO) program recently conducted it's first successful live test of the bullets. The video released by the agency shows a live test-fire of the bullet, which was shot at a path pointed away from its intended target. In the more recent firing of the bullet, dated April 21, 2014, it is shown curving back towards its target, hitting the mark. Scroll Down for Video +1 The successful testing of EXACTO was announced by the Pentagon this week DARPA's prototype model of EXACTO, which will increased the distance away from a target snipers can successful shoot According to the video, EXACTO is being developed by Teledyne Scientific & Imaging, with funding from DARPA. Teledyne is a research and development firm based in Thousand Oaks, California. Teledyne was awarded a contract worth $25 million in 2010 to develop EXACTO. According to DARPA's release, 'EXACTO’s specially designed ammunition and real-time optical guidance system help track and direct projectiles to their targets by compensating for weather, wind, target movement and other factors that could impede successful hits.' DARPA says that the bullet created by the project will improve the range of snipers, and improve troop safety as they will be able to shoot and neutralize a target from further away. Currently, US Snipers are expected to be able to hit a target 600 meters away, 90 per cent of the time. With the advent of EXACTO, an increased range to 2,000 meters is promised. Despite DARPA's claim that EXACTO is the first bullet of it's kind, in 2012, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin named Sandia National Laboratories, which does research and development with the US Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration, claimed to be developing their own self-guided bullet. Snipers will now be able to hit their targets without interference from unfavorable weather conditions EXACTO is not the only kind of self-guiding bullet in development and funded by the US government. Another company in California is also working on a prototype for a bullet guided by lasers Sandia's bullet uses lasers for guidance, as opposed to EXACTO's onboard computer system (the specific working of EXACTO are classified.) According to Sandia's website, additional development is needed before a full prototype or test can be performed. However, unlike EXACTO, Sandia plans to make their bullets available to law enforcement in addition to the military. According to DARPA, the next phase of the development of EXACTO is to refine the accuracy and performance of the technology.   Bike to the future! Slick electric motorcycle cruises 125 miles on just one charge Electric bike has an almost-silent motor integrated into the rear wheel Tiny motor provides 14hp and a top speed of 74mph Side mirrors have integrated displays showing bike’s speed and range The uptake of electric vehicles is usually limited by how far they can travel on a single charge, with experts even coining a new term to describe the feeling of uncertainty over whether you have enough power to reach your destination; 'range anxiety'. Now one Austrian company is hoping to tackle the problem with the introduction of the Johammer J1 - an electric bike that can travel 125 miles (200km) on a single charge. Scroll down for video... +7 One Austrian company is hoping to tackle range anxiety with the introduction of the Johammer J1 - an electric bike that can travel 125 miles on a single charge Created by Bad Leonfelden-based group Johammer, the electric bike has an almost silent motor integrated into the rear wheel. The 11 kilowatt hub-mounted motor provides 14 horsepower and a top speed of 74mph (119kph). +7 The stiff middle-frame of the electric bike is made from aluminium and has been designed to contain the battery pack Electric hub-mounted motors contain the electric motor within the wheel hub, or central part of the wheel. To drive the wheel, the motor contains a coil which generates an electromagnetic field as power flows through it. The field attracts the outer part of the motor, which attempts to follow its direction, and in doing so turns the connected wheel. The hub motors eliminates the need for a heavy transmission, gear train, and axles which reduces the weight, making the electric bike far more efficient. In place of traditional gauges, the side mirrors have high-resolution displays that show information on the bike’s speed and range. +7 Electric hub-mounted motors contain the electric motor within the wheel hub, or central part of the wheel. The motor is shown here on the rear wheel +7 Created by Bad Leonfelden-based group Johammer, the electric bike has an almost-silent motor integrated into the rear wheel +7 A close-up of the front wheel on the bike. The company claims the design provides a safe driving experience. 'Steering and footpeg allow for individual adaptation,' it said JOHAMMER J1 SPECIFICATIONS J1.150  Price: £19,000 ($31,600) Range: 93 miles, speed: 75mph Battery capacity: 8,3 kWh Charge time: 80 per cent in 2.5 hours J1.200 Price: £20,600 ($34,500) Reach: 125 miles, speed: 75mph Battery capacity: 12.7 kWh Charging time: 80 per cent in 3.5 hours ‘The extreme torsion stiff middle-frame made from aluminium provides space for spring damper and battery pack,’ the group writes on their website. ‘Perfectly balanced (at 350mm mass centre height) the Johammer offers an unmatched and safe driving experience. Steering and footpeg allow for individual adaptation.’ The bike, which can be purchased from the Johammer, currently comes in silver, white, blue, yellow and green options. The J1.150 will set you back £19,000 ($31,600) while the J1.200 will hit your wallet a bit harder at £20,600 ($34,500) in exchange for a bigger battery and longer range. +7 The bike, which can be purchased from the Johammer, currently comes in silver, white, blue, yellow and green options To drive the wheel, the motor (shown on the rear wheel) contains a coil which generates an electromagnetic field as power flows through it. The field attracts the outer part of the motor, which attempts to follow its direction, and in doing so turns the connected wheel +7 In place of traditional gauges, the side mirrors have high-resolution displays that show information on the bike's speed and range

Billion-dollar Peninsula Paris hotel:Inside Studio 54:The Story of Burlesque in America.

 

 

 

 

 

Story: Behind the Burly Q: The Story of Burlesque in America was first released as a documentary in 2011 but now the story has been adapted into a book

 

 

 

 

Fit for an Asian prince: Billion-dollar Peninsula Paris hotel   opens up after four years of construction... complete with a fleet of cars, a $34,000-a-night suite and a Chinese restaurant Peninsula's first hotel in Europe opens Friday Has 200 rooms, 600 staff, a fleet of cars - and free international phone calls The hotel is catering towards wealthy Asians - especially the Chinese Cost 750 million euros ($1billion) including the cost of acquiring the building Pricey: Employed 40 stone masons, used 20,000 pieces of gold leaf After four years of refurbishment work costing 430 million euros ($575.67 million dollars), the Peninsula Paris hotel opens its doors on Friday, promising prince-like treatment to well-heeled visitors to the French capital. It is part of a battle to attract Asia's new class of super-rich that not only pits the world's top hotel groups against each other but also cities such as Paris, New York and London. For the Peninsula team, it is a long-term investment, piggybacking on Paris's efforts to woo the Chinese in particular over the past decade - yet it comes as the luxury industry in France is feeling the pinch from a drop in traffic from Russian, Indonesian and Japanese tourists. +14 After four years of refurbishment work costing 430 million euros ($575.67 million) the Peninsula Paris hotel opens its doors on Friday, promising prince-like treatment to well-heeled visitors to the French capital +14 The lobby of The Peninsula Paris. The hotel has 200 rooms, including 34 suites, which start at 1000 euros - over $1500 - a night +14 The Paris location will be the luxury Hong Kong hotel group's first property in Europe +14 Fancy a dip? The underground, inside swimming pool has a 'zen' design and features a floor-to-ceiling waterfall cascade design Even spending by the Chinese, the world's No. 1 shoppers, only rose 14 percent in France in the first six months of the year, after rising by more than 20 percent and higher in the past few years, according to VAT-refund company Global Blue. Such projects are important for the government too. France is seeking to exploit its position as the world's most visited country to boost the trade balance and stimulate the euro zone's flatlining second economy by convincing tourists to spend more. Located in a 1908 building a stone's throw from the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees, the hotel will offer rooms starting at just over 1,000 euros a night and rising to 25,000 euros for a penthouse suite with its own roof-top garden. +14 In addition to this cafe, the hotel has 600 staff members to look after guests' every need +14 Asian influence: It may be in Paris but the hotel has a Chinese restaurant called LiLi. The theme of the dramatic space is the marriage of Chinese and French opera The hotel will have to thrive for 25 years to get a return on investment - as it cost 750 million euros to buy and refurbish the property in total +14 View of a marble bathroom in a room. A penthouse suite costs 25,000 euros a night comes with a private roof garden. The hotel is in a 1908 building a stone's throw from the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees Each of the 200 rooms allows guests to make free phone calls anywhere in the world and is fitted with a printer, coffee machine, a nail polish-dryer and a tablet centralizing all functions from dimming lights to ordering breakfast. A fleet of BMWs, Mini Coopers, two Rolls-Royces together with 600 staff, including masseuses and cigar connoisseurs, are on hand to cater to every whim of its guests. The Peninsula will need to spare no effort to stand out against other newcomers such as the Mandarin Oriental, the Shangri-La and the Royal Monceau operated by the Singapore hotel group Raffles which opened their doors in recent years. Once the refurbished Ritz and Crillon hotels re-open next year, Paris will have increased by over 50 percent its number of five-star beds to over 2,000 in little over a decade. +14 The hotel has five suites that come with private roof terraces - but even a regular room comes with a massive closet. Starting at just 100 euros a night - guests can also make free international phone calls +14 The gold leaf was painstakingly applied in the hotel - 20,000 pieces in total were used. The gilded bar was the scene of the signing in 1973 of the Paris Peace Accords 'There may be some over-capacity in the short term but for me it is not a problem as it will be absorbed and these new hotels will reinforce Paris' image as a luxury destination,' said Georges Panayotis of hotel and tourism consultancy MKG. Indeed, analysts say it will take at least 25 years if not more to get a return on an investment the size of the Peninsula Paris, or an estimated 750 million euros (1 billion dollars), when including the cost of acquiring the building. The hotel itself is steeped with history, having housed the Nazi military command when Paris was occupied in World War Two and hosted 1973 peace talks aimed at ending the Vietnam War. George Gershwin composed An American In Paris while staying at what was then The Hotel Majestic in 1928. +14 The space opened in 1908 as a hotel, and in 1937 became a government conference center +14 A seventy five percent size replica of the L'Oiseau Blanc biplane is on the terrace of the restaurant and bar LíOiseau Blanc located on the sixth floor of the hotel which has 360-degree views of Paris The Hotel Majestic closed in 1937 and was sold to the government as a conference center. The project is a joint venture, run and 20 percent owned by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels group behind the Peninsula hotels in cities such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, New York, Chicago and Beverly Hills. The rest belongs to Katara Hospitality, part of the Qatar Investment Authority. 'Our name is reassuring for a certain type of clientele,' hotel director Nicolas Beliard said of the Peninsula brand. Last month, Hong Kong-listed investment firm Kai Yuan Holdings Ltd, which has interests from steel making to real estate, bought the Paris Marriott Hotel Champs-Elysees for 344.5 million euros for which it said it aimed to boost its Chinese clientele. +14 The Peninsula has one year to lure a devoted clientele before the Ritz and Crillon each reopen after their respective overhauls to lure the wealthy away +14 A familiar site: With 600 employees for just 200 rooms - there will no doubt be plenty of staff standing around just waiting to help. There is even an on-staff cigar concierge Ten years ago, the Chinese tourist market barely existed in Paris, the domestic shop-window of luxury products ranging from Louis Vuitton bags to Cartier jewelry and Remy Martin cognac. Since then, the government and Paris city hall have sought to attract more Chinese visitors by making it easier to obtain visas and by strengthening security, particularly in tourist hotspots, to prevent muggings. A spate of attacks against Chinese tourists in recent years have blemished the city's reputation, prompting negative headlines in the local Chinese media. 'For me the battle lines are not between the hotels themselves but between London, Paris and New York as luxury destinations,' said Philippe Leboeuf, head of the rival Mandarin Oriental hotel. But if the stakes are high, so could be the potential rewards. +14 Will it do the trick? The French government hopes this new offering will lure more Chinese travellers - as attacks in Paris against Chinese tourists in recent years have hurt the city's reputation Revenue per room generated by five-star hotels is about seven times that of the hotel industry average, with annual occupancy rate throughout the year of about 75 percent, according to MKG. The Peninsula's prospective clients are at the top end of a tourist sector which brings in 82 million visitors a year and contributes 12 billion euros to France's balance of payments - still not enough to wipe out an overall trade deficit which stood at 4.9 billion euros in May. Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius is spearheading efforts to persuade tourists to extend their stays in France, noting that Spain pulls in 30 percent fewer visitors than France but derives 10 percent more revenue from them.

Inside Studio 54:   Fascinating photographs reveal what stars REALLY got up to in world's most famous nightclub Studio 54's rule for a good party: Invite guests more interesting than you It was opened in 1977 for just 33 months and made $7million in first year Bianca Jagger rode a white horse through the club on her 30th birthday Owner Steve Rubell once gave Andy Warhol a bin full of money for birthday It shut after 1979 raid by taxman who found money stashed all over club These images capture the world's most famous nightclub Studio 54 during its 33-month existence, populated by celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Rod Stewart and Andy Warhol. The wild success of the 70s New York club has forever been put down to owner Steve Rubell's first rule of partying: 'The key to a good party is filling a room with guests more interesting than you.' By 1978, within a year of transforming it from a theatre to a nightclub, Studio 54 had made $7million and Rubell was quoted as saying 'only the Mafia made more money.' Singer Rod Stewart with Studio 54 owner Steve Rubell (L) and Alana Hamilton (C) at Studio 54 Woody Allen and Michael Jackson partying together at Studio 54. The club ran a stric 'glamour only' dresscode although this was clearly overlooked when this pair tipped up Singer Olivia Newton-John and producer Allan Carr attend the 'Grease' Premiere Party on June 13, 1978 at Studio 54 Dolly Parton with a white stallion at the nightclub on 254 W. 54th St. One of Steve Rubell's strategy to ensure the A-list celebrities would return time after time was to lavish them with treats and attention A born and bred New Yorker, Rubell was said to guard the club's door like his life depended on it, letting in only those he considered glamourous enough. It soon developed a reputation for being the world's most exclusive, hardest to get in to nightspot. He forever sought the perfect combination of black and white, straight and gay, - something he called 'mixing the salad' and would tell people to go home and change or rather more bluntly 'you're ugly, you're not coming in.' He started with his business partner Ian Shrager, a more introverted, business-minded type with a chain of steakhouses in the 1970s in the less salubrious parts of New York. The soon realised that by cutting back on the food and concentrating on the sale of alcohol, their profits would soar. They bought a building at 254 W. 54th St. in New York and spent $400,000 on turning it into a nightclub that included a huge man-in-the-moon hanging over the dance floor. When a large hanging spoon came to rest under its nose, the man-in-the-moon lit up. They named the club Studio 54, and the doors opened on April 16, 1977. Bianca Jagger, ex-wife of Rolling Stone Mick Jagger, pictured with two white doves at party held in her honour on December 12, 1977. For her 30th birthday she famously rode out into the club atop of a white horse Diane von Furstenberg (centre) attends the party for Egon Von Furstenberg's Book 'The Power Look' on September 25, 1978 at Studio 54 All a bit too much fun? Kate Harrington (left), talks to Gloria Swanson (right) over a snoozing Truman Capote (centre) With the in crowd: Owner Steve Rubell (left) with Michael Jackson, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and Cherie Currie of The Runaways (right) From left to right, Halston, Bianca Jagger, Jack Haley, Jr. and wife Liza Minnelli and Andy Warhol celebrate a New Year's Eve party at Studio 54 One strategy to ensure the A-list celebrities would return time after time was to lavish them with gifts and attention. For Bianca Jagger's 30th birthday, a costumed show was performed by staff and professional dancers, and right at the end, Ms Jagger came riding out on the stage on a white horse. For Andy Warhol's birthday Rubell was said to be so unsure as to what best to get him he ended up presenting the artist with a metal bin full of dollar bills. Legend has it that Warhol said it was the best present he had ever had. Rock star Mick Jagger and his future wife, model Jerri Hall, arrive at Studio 54 to attend an 'Oscar' party at the club With former husband Robert Evans by her side, actress Ali MacGraw sees something of interest during a party to celebrate the June 6 premiere of her new movie 'Players'. In the film Ali plays an older woman who has an affair with a young tennis player. Evans produced the Paramount Pictures release Actor Paul Bakers and actress Margaux Hemingway attend Coty Awards Party on September 28, 1978 at Studio 54 Curtis Mayfield of the Impressions posing inside the club in 1977. He is best known for composing the soundtrack to the film Super Fly The music finally stopped on December 1979 when the club was raided by the Inland Revenue and bags full of money were found stashed throughout the building. A final party and prison send-off was held in February 1980, and Diana Ross serenaded Rubell and Shrager in front of a packed crowd that included Richard Gere, Jack Nicholson, Sylvester Stallone and Gia Carangi. The pair were sentenced to three-and-a-half years for tax evasion of which they served 13 months atfer striking a deal with prosecutors. After all this time, Shrager still finds the 33-month period difficult to talk about. In a 2011 interview he said: 'I didn't handle the success well; there was nothing you could do at night in the 1970s you couldn't walk away from in the morning. 'I admire the accomplishment at a distance - we were a couple of guys from Brooklyn - but we created a Frankenstein monster that almost destroyed us.' Steve Rubell died of hepatitis and septic shock in 1989. Ian Shrager went into the boutique hotel business and sold his company, Morgans Hotel Group, the most famous hotel group in the world at the time, for a reputed $400 million in 2005. If you're not on the list..Outside the world's most famous nightclub, Studio 54, on 254 W. 54th St., New York. People were often turned away for being 'ugly' What have you got to do to get a drink around here? A busy night at Studio 54 Owner Steve Rubell, Marina Schiano, Yves Saint Laurent and Loulou de la Falaise attend the party for Opium Perfume Launch on September 20, 1978 at Studio 54. A year later the club was raided by the IRS Steve Rubell leaves Federal Court on November 2, 1979, after pleading guilty to two counts of income tax evasion. He spent a total of 13 months in prison and died nine years later died of hepatitis and septic shock

Story of Burlesque in America.  Author Leslie Zemeckis produced an earlier documentary on the subject and has adapted the story into 'Behind the Burly Q: The Story of Burlesque in America,' that will be released on June 1.  The book includes 80 black and white photographs that tell the story of the racy pastime that became one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the early part of the 20th century.  'Burlesque touched every corner of American life. The sexy shows often poked fun at the upper classes, at sex, and at what people were willing to do in the pursuit of sex,' the author said in a description of the book. 'Gaudy, bawdy and spectacular, the shows entertained thousands of paying customers every night of the week. And yet the legacy of burlesque is often vilified and misunderstood, and left out of the history books.' With interviews with burlesque fans, musicians, strippers and historians, the author hopes to capture the intriguing history of this seductive stage performance. Show me how you burlesque: A new book offers a behind the scene look at Burlesque in America History: The book includes 80 black and white photographs that tell the story of the racy pastime that became one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the early part of the 20th century Sultry: The book's author interviewed dancers, musicians and club owners who took part in staging burlesque shows in the past Racy: Gaudy, bawdy and spectacular, the shows entertained thousands of paying customers every night of the week Ta da: Burlesque was one of America's most popular forms of live entertainment in the first half of the 20th century Seductive: The sexy shows often poked fun at the upper classes, at sex, and at what people were willing to do in the pursuit of sex Behind the scenes: The author interviewed entertainers to hear about what performers were like behind the curtain   She is one of America's most recognisable showgirls after rising to fame on The Girls Next Door and starring in the burlesque revue Peep Show. And Holly Madison has swiftly become an entrepreneur as her latest venture 1923 Bourbon & Burlesque, a Las Vegas speakeasy, had its grand opening on Thursday night. For the party, the 34-year-old entertained audiences by starring in a racy burlesque show where she sang and danced in nothing but lingerie. +8 Entrepreneur: Holly Madison performed a burlesque show for the grand opening of her new speakeasy 1923 Bourbon And Burlesque in Las Vegas on Thursday Taking the stage in thigh garters, sheer stockings, and stilettos the freshly red-headed entertainer could be seen strutting in a conga line with some gorgeous back up dancers. Wearing a bodice and sequinned bra, the star crooned whilst lounging atop a piano as she gave the audience a demonstration of her vocal talents. Looking pretty in bright lip paint she posed for a backstage photo where she reclined in a chair as she wore nearly arm-length gloves and diamond bracelets. +8 Big night: The former reality star made sure audiences got quite the show +8 She can do it all: The veteran performer did some lounge singing as she reclined on a piano +8 Her girls: The star posed backstage with her dancers As she arrived to the bash, Holly opted for pure 1920s elegance as she wore her bright locks in flowing waves over her toned shoulders. She made sure to put on an elegant and glamorous front with a shiny white gown with a silver band cinching her waist. While adorned in the classic getup, she posed next to a vintage motor car as she smiled for her photo op. Build up: Holly pictured at the arrivals photo shoot in an elegant white gown +8 Old timey feel: The freshly red headed star posed next to a classic motor car In March the Las Vegas Sun published a statement from Holly regarding her big venture in Sin City. She explained at the time: 'I’m very excited to be a part of this new project.' Adding: 'We look forward to introducing Las Vegas to glamorous burlesque set inside an intimate 1920s-style speakeasy.' +8 Also in attendance: Bridget Marquardt arrived in a stunning blue dress The venue is touted as an ideal spot for private parties where Madison can be expected to perform variously during the burlesque shows. Following the celebrations, Holly tweeted on Friday: 'Thank you everyone who came out to the grand opening of @1923lv #BourbonBurlesque @mandalaybay!' Holly, who previously starred in the burlesque Peep Show in Las Vegas, married filmmaker Pasquale Rotella in Disneyland last September, after the birth of one-year-old Rainbow Aurora. The couple began dating in 2011.