total immersion is an augmented reality company based in suresnes , france .

its patented d'fusion technology " integrates real time interactive 3d graphics into a live video stream . "

the company maintains offices in europe , north america , and asia .

total immersion supports the world 's largest augmented reality partner network , with over 130 solution providers .

total immersion ( augmented reality )

d’fusion studio is total immersion ' s authoring tool to create augmented reality applications .
total immersion raises $ 5 . 5m from intel , others for augmented reality platform
as far as augmented reality has come , total immersion believes it’s just the beginning .
total immersion showreels these videos show the broad range of augmented reality solutions ti offers .
total immersion raises $ 5 . 5m from intel , others for augmented reality platform – techcrunch
this is the first part of our selection of great christmas gift featuring total immersion’s augmented reality technology .
augmented reality tutorial no . 14 : augmented reality using unity3d and vuforia ( part 1 )
virtual reality , augmented reality and mixed reality , total immersion in virtual worlds and superimposing data onto our reality—for several years now , everybody has been talking up these concepts and ideas once again .
total immersion is releasing a new racing game demo that shows off the tools developers can use to create augmented reality games .
project videos here are two videos of projects for whom cmcdv delivered augmented reality consulting and concepts on behalf of total immersion .
the latest demo reel of augmented reality projects on the d ' fusion platform by total immersion , the global leader in augmented reality solutions , and its partners . urltoken urltoken urltoken
nathan and total immersion received yesterday evening an lsa innovation oscar for their dokeo augmented reality encyclopedia as best innovative product for 2009 .
augmented reality company total immersion released a free , augmented reality sdk today called d’fusion . the updated kit is specially designed for multi - platform developers of games , apps and marketing solutions .
total immersion has released an updated version of d ' fusion , the world ' s most widely - used commercial augmented reality platform .
scott lai total immersion scott . lai @ urltoken + ( 852 ) 3971 9105
check out the demo of the total immersion ar formula 1 racing game below .
total immersion also develops business applications , for instance the virtual manual for bmw mechanics .
total immersion , the market leader in augmented reality , is launching a new version of trylive eyewear , the virtual eyewear try - on application .
total immersion is the global leader in virtual try - on and augmented reality solutions for e - commerce , mobile commerce , retail and brand marketing .
total immersion olivier audouze , + 33 1 46 25 06 10 olivier . audouze @ urltoken
kddi , japan’s second biggest telecommunications firm , launches satch , a software development kit using total immersion’s leading technology for mobile augmented reality ( ar ) applications .
total immersion is proud to announce that global brand experience agency jack morton worldwide won 2 major industry awards for its augmented reality based work on the urltoken relaunch .
total immersion and c4m prod just won a mobile awards 2010 for the lustucru campaign based on augmented reality on iphone featuring interactive point of sales advertising and advergame packaging .
gaëlle maurugeon total immersion gaelle . maurugeon @ urltoken + 33 ( 0 ) 1 46 25 03 47
companies such as total immersion are helping to set the ar expectation levels . augmented reality has to show that it can cut it as a longer term commercially viable technology .
total immersion has been augmenting reality since 1999 , and you may be familiar with some of the company’s work to date . we’ve already seen some amazing innovations emerge from total immersion , such as these ar baseball trading cards back in 2009 :
french book editor , nathan unveiled first augmented reality book in france : ”dokeo comment ça marche ? ” powered by total immersion . this kid encyclopedia presents some ar pages with different kind of augmented reality scenario : movie , contemplative and interactive experiences .
total immersion and augmented reality quickly became a worldwide phenomenon , attracting such clients as disney , fedex and gm while creating new uses and business solutions for the rapidly evolving product .
total immersion proposes a complete software platform with d’fusion® , allowing the development and deployment of augmented reality experiences on a wide variety of devices , including pcs , mac® products , tablets and smartphones . trylive tm adds vertical applications to the total immersion portfolio , the first being trylive eyewear .
there’s always news at total immersion . use our press room to get the latest press releases and contact info . or subscribe to our augmented reality digest and have them sent to you .
the agency teamed up with web company total immersion , using a combination of satellite , video - conferencing and webcast technology to produce one of the largest global ‘augmented reality’ events ever undertaken .
bruno uzzan , chief executive of total immersion , said in an interview that the new d’fusion tools enable immersive new applications in augmented reality that can be integrated with unity technologies’ 3d game engine .
digital magic known as augmented reality made it possible . “augmented reality is a composite experience–a video stream merged with a synthetic component and manipulated in real time , ” says greg davis , general manager at total immersion . “we are taking video and superimposing a digital layer over it . ”
augmented reality today total immersion is one of the most successful augmented reality providers today , having created interactive baseball cards , a 3 - d tour of the star trek enterprise , and now , a new line of mattel actions figures based on the upcoming sci - fi - flick , avatar .
augmented reality has a wide range of potential applications , from automotive design to entertainment .
total immersion today announced that trylive has been acquired by acep , the optical measurement solutions specialist . a new subsidiary named acep -
total immersion , the global leader and pioneer in augmented reality ( ar ) , today released a new version of d’fusion® studio , an evolution in ar technology . free to download , d’fusion studio 3 . 2 empowers developers of all stripes to create a new breed of rich cross - platform games and applications that leverage total immersion’s groundbreaking ar technology .
total immersion is constantly researching and developing how to break the next mold of technology with augmented reality . as we offer the progressive marketing of your product today , we continue looking forward to the future for health , education , and more . click to see what the future holds . > future of augmented reality
“skinvaders demonstrates a world of possibility created by total immersion’s powerful augmented reality platform d’fusion studio , ” said bruno uzzan , ceo of total immersion . “players are literally brought into the game as they fight the invasion of skinvaders intent on taking over their face . the markerless tracking and rendering are so sophisticated that players can suspend belief , deeply engaging in the most personal , realistic and real - time augmented reality experience on the market today . ”
founded in 1999 , total immersion provides a commercial augmented reality platform that enables developers to blurs the line between the virtual and the real world by integrating realtime interactive 3d graphics into live video streams . see demo video below .
december 2nd , total immersion has been awarded by lejournaldunet / net20 as the best technical solution 2009 for its augmented reality platform . this rewards ceremony took place at the tour eiffel . net20 celebrates best on - line success .
as with many technologies , hitting a definitive moment when augmented reality was born isn’t easy .
total immersion ‘s partner in spain , innovae vision received the award of “ best new product for events” for their augmented reality projects performed with d’fusion . the prizes show was organized by “evento plus” a spanish institution specialized in events .
augmented reality takes real - world , real - time environments and adds digital enhancements to enable interaction and convey extra information . the increasingly popular software created by total immersion is connecting people from everywhere by offering virtual ways to advance the way the world networks . click here to find out why . > what is augmented reality ?
our integration of live video with digital information fuses multiple technologies . whether it’s out on the road with a gps , marketing with public sensors , or playing at - home advergames with product packaging ; total immersion brings you augmented reality through multiple technological possibilities . see which one works best for your needs . > augmented reality technologies
total immersion now has more than 6 , 000 developers using its d’fusion platform , and it has more than 100 partners around the world .
total immersion , the global leader and pioneer in augmented reality ( ar ) , today released a new version of d ' fusion® studio , an evolution in ar technology . free to download , d ' fusion studio 3 . 2 empowers developers of all stripes to create a new breed of rich cross - platform games and applications that leverage total immersion ' s groundbreaking ar technology .
since its inception , total immersion has led the industry in ar technology with over 1 , 000 executed augmented reality solutions for fortune 500 name brands and organizations and partnerships with the world’s most prominent technology companies including adobe® , intel® and kddi .
total immersion is excited to announce the launch of urltoken — a new website dedicated to its try on • buy now e - commerce platform .
total immersion went on to pioneer d’fusion , the proprietary software enabling the fusion of reality and animation that came to be known as augmented reality ( ar ) . the very first ar image , a tiger , came to life in 2004 , just as the company was moving from a garage to a warehouse . attending the demo technology conference that same year , total immersion won a coveted “demogod” award , wowing a notoriously skeptical crowd .
. the game , which takes advantage of total immersion’s face tracking technology , uses the player’s face as the battlefield . it’s freaky , yet cool .
so without any further ado , here’s a look at augmented reality : past , present and future .
jack morton worldwide received a silver ivca award in experiential digital events for statoil event using augmented reality .
total immersion ar engine , previously named d ' fusion , has been the world ' s most widely - used commercial augmented reality technology . available for a large number of devices and operating systems , it enabled the development of secure - content augmented reality solutions for a wide variety of uses , such as interactive marketing , live events , and industrial applications .
in london , statoil’s ceo , helge lund , revealed the company’s new vision and mission . his 20 - minute presentation used cutting - edge augmented reality for visual support , showcasing statoil’s drive to be pioneers in everything they do . jack morton engaged total immersion to create the augmented reality application from statoil’s models and drawings , with every detail true to life .
meanwhile , some augmented reality developers have already hacked away at the iphone’s software development kit to code proof - of - concept augmented reality apps . the video above demonstrates an app called twittaround , an augmented reality twitter viewer on the iphone . the app shows live tweets of mobile twitter users around your location .
total immersion offers variations of this technology for cellphones and dedicated camera set ups that can be projected on to a custom screen such as large outdoor displays .
fake and total immersion would like to congratulate cossette for being recognized at the annual boomerang awards for the molson dry augmented reality campaign . fake has once again been recognized for its innovative work and the successful execution of the molson dry augmented reality campaign . this project has received recognition through countless articles , and has been nominated as a finalist in the london international awards .
thanks to advanced augmented reality video technology you can easily try on eyewear any time and anywhere you like .
los angeles , oct . 20 , 2011 total immersion , the global leader in augmented reality , today released skinvaders™ , a fun game for all ages available as a free download for the iphone® , ipad2® and ipod touch® at app store ( sm ) at urltoken .
total immersion ' s gold partner in japan , emprize , released the ar portal app named
marker
for the creation of d ' fusion mobile scenarios .
augmented reality software company total immersion this morning announced that it has secured $ 5 . 5 million in a funding round led by intel capital , with existing backers partech , isource and elaia partners participating . the company has now raised more than $ 11 million in funding .
today , mobile technology is king . and as valentin lefevre envisioned a quarter century earlier , total immersion is developing compelling ar experiences that can fit in a pocket .
moreover , a sophisticated 3d rendering engine and gps based services are available to develop immersive augmented reality mobile applications .
the user is able to record his or her augmented reality experience to then share it on any social network .
kddi’s new ar ( augmented reality ) brand “satch” makes ar applications more accessible , easier and handier to use .
* hey , that was with - it . bruno uzzan of total immersion just cut loose with some actual journalistic breaking ar news - style news , here at are2010 .
total immersion is the winner of the global innovation venture partner programme ( givp ) of logica nederlands . the company was chosen from over 70 submissions by a professional jury .
d’fusion @ home is designed for high quantity deployment of augmented reality applications ( millions of users ) on desktop pc .
as for the iphone , officially there are no augmented reality apps in the app store yet — because apple doesn’t provide an open api to access live video from the phone’s camera . this barrier prompted augmented reality enthusiasts and professionals to write an open letter to apple pleading for access to this api to make augmented reality apps possible in the app store .
created with total immersion’s d’fusion® studio augmented reality ( ar ) platform , skinvaders is the first game to fully leverage ar literally bringing players into the game—by transforming their faces into game terrain over which alien invaders , known as skinvaders , battle it out for total domination . to defeat the skinvaders , players eradicate invading aliens by tapping on them and popping the eggs laid by the invaders .
total immersion’s hk partner cherrypicks won a bronze prize on technology & telecoms sector in the digital media awards asia 2010 at beijing last week for the sony ericsson – fifa 2010 campaign .
statoil are one of the first companies to combine augmented reality with a global live event broadcast to this number of people .
there’s a lot going on in augmented reality right now , and it’s becoming a crowded space . i spoke with rish mitra , co - founder and ceo of blippar , to get his thoughts on where we’re currently at in the augmented reality space .
* total immersion is proposing a new set of tech standards for ar , to be backed up by a kind of industry - wide ar good - housekeeping logo . here it is :
total immersion’s augmented reality software then steps in . the software has three components–recognition , tracking and rendering . in the video stream , total immersion’s software hunts for a ‘target , ’ which is a single user or a group of users . it then tracks the target and imposes a 3 - d overlay by adding a virtual object , before rendering it back on the screen in real time . there are limits : the software can only track a few targets at a time and it has restrictions on range .
at & t and rim developed an augmented reality experience to explore the blackberry torch 9800 in augmented reality 3d using your computer with a connected webcam . this experience is integrated into a facebook apps “ torch in 3d ” on blackberry from att facebook page .
augmented reality is no longer an abstract notion . it is transforming our previous ideas about visualization . in the near future , augmented reality will dramatically affect how we work , play , travel , and communicate , as data is converted to information in an immersive environment . the implications are enormous as we enhance a user ' s view of the real world by adding virtual objects to it in a realistic manner . bruno uzzan , ceo , total immersion
total immersion is the leading supplier of very advanced so called augmented reality applications – enriching the real world with data or animation from the internet – and has secured a place in the global final that will take place on the 17 th of may in stockholm . t - immersion will compete against the winners from other logica innovation competitions from , among others , france , sweden , us , india and the united kingdom .
original , engaging , effective software brought to you by total immersion . augmented reality is the ground - breaking virtual application for advertising , industrial applications , and much more . the exciting integration of live video , in live time that creates digital scenes holds endless opportunities . start here to find out how you can take part .
for the release of edge of tomorrow the movie , jcdecaux innovate and warner bros associated with total immersion to offer a unique interactive experience on bus shelters in the city center of madrid and amsterdam .
intel says it will work together with total immersion to develop new usage experiences for its own platforms . it’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time the chip maker’s venture capital arm invests in an augmented reality software company – it also took the lead in a $ 14 million financing round for layar announced back in november 2010 .
d ' fusion is the world ' s most widely - used commercial augmented reality solution . download d ' fusion studio for free .
discover the superpowers of the indomitables in augmented reality in a mobile app packed with a lot of fun to thrill the whole family .
total immersion is one of the most successful augmented reality providers currently . here’s a quick look at how the company’s augmented reality technology for the desktop works . take the baseball cards . users have to first log on to a url and navigate to the 3 - d section of the website , where they enter an interactive code found on their baseball card to activate the software . then , they can hold the card under a webcam and total immersion’s software goes to work . it identifies a target on the baseball card , then overlays a virtual baseball player on the video onscreen . users can then rotate the baseball player and make it perform a select few actions .
bruno uzzan , ceo of total immersion , comments :
augmented reality is no longer an abstract notion . it is transforming our previous ideas about visualization . in the near future , augmented reality will dramatically affect how we work , play , travel , and communicate , as data is converted to information in an immersive environment . the implications are enormous as we enhance a user ' s view of the real world by adding virtual objects to it in a realistic manner .
d’fusion mobile is designed for high quantity deployment of augmented reality on smartphones or tablets ( iphone , ipad and android phones and tablets ) .
to get a real sense of where we are with augmented reality , it’s perhaps worth looking to some of the market leading ar companies .
it’s a 2 to 12 players game based on riddles . you have 100 differents riddles to solve in which 10 propose augmented reality experiences .
‘innovation is core to logica . this helps our clients to venture into new products or services’ . according to gartner , augmented reality is one of the top technologies that will make the difference in the coming year . together , logica and total immersion can develop valuable application for their clients’ , says gerben mak , director marketing & innovation logica netherlands .
, that delivers a unique digital brand and sales experience to consumers through a series of ar - based technology . total immersion also announced it expanded the company’s partnership with adobe to include the ability to integrate trylive
for the world cup 2014 in brazil , the famous cheese brand for kids babybel launched its football mobile app including a funny augmented reality game .
“augmented reality is gaining a lot of momentum , from marketing advertisements to integrations with toys , ” uzzan said . “we’re using state of the art computer vision to track faces and detect movements that can deliver much more immersive gaming experiences . our goal is to bring augmented reality to everyone . ”
“d’fusion studio uses superior ar technology to get as close as possible to erasing the line between reality and the digital world , ” said total immersion ceo bruno uzzan . “now , by making d’fusion studio free to all developers we’ve removed yet another barrier—developers are limited only by their imagination . ”
the secure and developed features of d’fusion pro make it an adequate tool for the creation of industrial augmented reality applications including easy integration with existing architectures .
brian selzer , co - founder of ogmento , a company that creates augmented reality products for games and marketing , recognizes the need for augmented reality to go mobile . he said his company is working on several projects coming in the near future to help market mainstream movies with augmented reality smartphone apps . for example , movie posters will trigger interactive experiences on an iphone , such as a trailer or even a virtual treasure hunt to promote the film .
whilst augmented reality as a concept had been brewing for some time , it was professor thoma p . caudell , then a researcher at boeing , who first coined the term ‘augmented reality’ in 1990 . he was referring to a head - mounted digital display that guided workers through assembling electrical wires in aircrafts .
offering cutting edge advertisement and applications for companies all over the world is our distinctive feature . discover our one of a kind development by watching the successful results here . see where augmented reality applies to your needs and learn how you can be a part of it all , starting today . > augmented reality usages
another company that is doing pretty groundbreaking stuff in the ar sphere is crowdoptic , a real - time crowd behavior monitoring tool underpinned by augmented reality technology .
tom caudell , a researcher at aircraft manufacturer boeing , coined the term “augmented reality” in 1990 . he applied the term to a head - mounted digital display that guided workers through assembling electrical wires in aircrafts . the early definition of augmented reality , then , was an intersection between virtual and physical reality , where digital visuals are blended in to the real world to enhance our perceptions .
“for many of the world’s top retail brands , adobe scene7 dynamic media solutions are critical components of their online experience , ” said kevin lindsay , group product marketing manager , omniture business unit , adobe . “our expanded partnership with total immersion offers retailers new , compelling capabilities to extend the value of their scene7 assets with engaging augmented - reality solutions that further their ability to optimize online conversions . ”
d’fusion® for adobe® flash® player solutions are operational on any device that supports adobe flash 11 . x and provides users with an incredible “at home” augmented reality experience .
d’fusion studio proposes a thorough process to create augmented reality applications , from exporting 3d with autodesk maya and 3dsmax , creating tracking scenario to finalizing the animated scene .
once developed with d’fusion studio , your augmented reality experience is ready to run on several operating systems including windows , mac os , linux , ios and android .
our team will attend this week ismar event , the premier international conference on research , technology and application in mixed and augmented reality , taking place in basel .
d’fusion sdk for adobe® flash® is total immersions recognition and tracking library . created in action script , it offers a high - performance utilization of adobe development tools , such as adobe cs or adobe flex , to build engaging augmented reality applications which are easily integrated to web sites .
to create the racing game , the company had to develop much better face - tracking technology than it had before . the inputs from that system had to be integrated into the graphics rendering engine created by unity . total immersion will show off the latest d’fusion for unity technology at the game developers conference in san francisco next week . the total immersion ar formula 1 game will run on an intel ultrabook , which has both gesture detection and a webcam that can track faces .
but augmented reality isn’t truly useful in a static desktop environment , höllerer said , because people’s day - to - day realities involve more than sitting around all day ( outside of work , at least ) . and that’s why smartphones , which include gps hardware and cameras , are crucial to driving the evolution of augmented reality .
but today , we have to find some usages to this beautiful technology . that ' s why total immersion is now developing vertical solutions based on augmented reality to address the e - and m - commerce needs . trylive is today the most advanced virtual try - on and 3d visualization solution on the market enabling consumers to try and find their new glasses and furniture online from the confort of their home .
here’s a quick look at how their augmented reality technology works . take the baseball cards . users have to first log on to a url ( www . toppstown . com ) and enter a 3 - d section where they enter an interactive code found on their baseball card to activate the software . then , they can hold the card under a webcam and total immersion’s software goes to work . continue reading…
and it’s this ‘real value’ element that seems to be lacking across many ar apps . i asked mitra what he felt the current limitations were regarding augmented reality today :
d’fusion @ home integration to facebook makes it possible to share the augmented reality fun experience with peers and friends . such capability increases the viral effect of the application .
and two weeks ago , total immersion released trylive , a potentially game - changing ar application aimed at online clothing and accessory retailers . whilst people have been shopping for clothes online for years , there really is no substitute for trying before buying .
d ' fusion studio uses superior ar technology to get as close as possible to erasing the line between reality and the digital world ,
said total immersion ceo bruno uzzan .
now , by making d ' fusion studio free to all developers we ' ve removed yet another barrier—developers are limited only by their imagination .
spectrek , for example , is an augmented reality game available of android and ios devices . you hunt virtual ghosts in the real world using your smartphone’s gps and screen :
meanwhile , if you want to follow what’s happening in this field of technology , why not read our recent post outlining the 25 most influential people tweeting about augmented reality .
the first total immersion demo i saw was at the mobile world congress last year . it was an app that let you virtually try on different sets of eyeglasses . this new game underscores that they have been continuing to refine their face - tracking technology .
building on over a decade of augmented reality experience and unique patented technologies , trylive solutions enable enhanced and social shopping experiences both at home , in store and on the go .
“augmented reality is the ultimate interface to a computer because our lives are becoming more mobile , ” said tobias höllerer , an associate professor of computer science at uc santa barbara , who is leading the university’s augmented reality program . “we’re getting more and more away from a desktop , but the information the computer possesses is applicable in the physical world . ”
d’fusion pro , is designed for the deployment of professional augmented reality applications that require specific features such as hd video , multiple cameras , infra - red cameras , or specific sensors .
österreich werbung has used htc vive technology to develop an interactive virtual - reality tour of vienna’s kunsthistorisches museum . this project is one of europe’s first virtual - reality documentaries with user - determined storytelling , and superbly demonstrates the possibilities of interactive video documentary in virtual reality .
augmented reality ( ar ) is a term used to describe a live view of a physical , real - world environment that is augmented by computer - generated sensory input , such as sound or graphics . a typical ar environment has digital information transposed onto a real - world view .
but we have a long way to go — perhaps several years — before achieving anywhere augmentation , höllerer said . augmented reality is stifled by limitations in software and hardware , he explained . cellphones require superb battery life , computational power , cameras and tracking sensors . for software , augmented reality requires a much more sophisticated artificial intelligence and 3 - d modeling applications . and above all , this technology must become affordable to consumers . the best possible technology that is available today would nearly cost $ 100 , 000 for a solid augmented - reality device , höllerer said .
you may have heard about augmented reality before . if you haven’t , you’ll be hearing a lot about it from now on , with the smartphone and tablet revolution now in full - swing .
this is a neat example . the inspiration behind the pop - up book was augmented reality that had been used in psychotherapy studies for the treatment of phobias such as arachnophobia . papagiannis notes :
“this year we’re feeling a real urgency to work on augmented reality because the hardware is finally catching up to our needs , ” said rebecca allen , director of nokia’s research center in hollywood .
4 differents augmented t - shirts especially designed for kids between 2 and 5 . more information here .
valentin lefevre and bruno uzzan co - founded total immersion in 1998 , introducing visio training , a fitness simulation utilizing a treadmill and video to allow exercisers to run through the streets of different cities . the high quality consumer experience was what gave the company the chance to expand its vision beyond fitness .
augmented reality at present still largely feels as though it’s finding its feet , finding a niche and , ultimately , finding a purpose . but there are clear signs of the direction in which it’s heading .
mobile mondays by orange at la cantine : a recent exposition of total immersions’ services was presented by nicolas boireau , sales director of france and benelux .
“crowdoptic is a breakthrough application in the augmented reality space . without changing anything fundamental about the fan experience , crowdoptic allows us to point our phones at people and instantly acquire almost limitless information about them . ”
this offers something different to the countless cutesy ar apps that are doing the rounds and sets a benchmark for what could be a massive advance not only for augmented reality , but geo - location technology too .
the i - tag product line came on the heels of topps’ 3d live trading cards for both major league baseball and the nfl , which introduced a broad audience to ar and a groundbreaking enhancement to the trading card , a beloved american classic . just as ar is beginning to redefine game play , it is also bringing a new dimension to the children’s encyclopedia genre . nathan and total immersion recently received an lsa innovation oscar for the dokeo augmented reality encyclopedia , dubbed the “best innovative cultural product for 2009” in france .
showcasing the power of d’fusion studio and the potential of ar , total immersion created skinvaders™—a free game for ios . skinvaders is the first game to use ar to bring players into the game—literally and physically—transforming their faces into game terrain over which alien invaders , known as skinvaders , battle for domination . players must tap quickly to combat the skinvaders , while popping eggs laid by the aliens . “demonstrating the potential of d’fusion studio with the skinvaders game was an obvious choice . games have always pushed the limits of technology , ” said uzzan . “by using total immersion’s d’fusion studio platform , game developers can build immersive worlds in which players engage . ”
whilst the ability to enjoy ar experiences simultaneously and collaboratively may help bring the technology mainstream , it will also help if the power of augmented reality technology is broadened to be made accessible to as many people as possible .
the television campaign is composed of three 15 - second clips conceived around a ground - breaking feature known as “augmented reality” ( ar ) . overcoming several technological barriers , a research and development cycle endowed fake with the tools needed to satisfy the client’s expectations . amongst these is a custom - built video recorder allowing web - surfers to transmit their videos over the internet , where the campaign’s contagion continues to spread . in addition , the ar platform also works with apple’s mac operating system , once again a first for fake and the total immersion technology .
the company has raised $ 12 million in three rounds and became profitable in 2010 . more than 1 , 300 projects — including an interactive tic tac - branded billboard in times square — have been released in the past two years . total immersion has 90 employees . uzzan co - founded the company with valentin lefevre in 1999 .
donau augmented 360 * was created by netural , responsive spaces , amago and wgd donau oberösterreich . the assignment was to prepare tourist information for virtual - reality glasses so that it is a useful enhancement for analog travel impressions .
each toy in the product line includes a 3d web tag , called an i - tag — developed by total immersion ( urltoken ) , the global leader in ar — which consumers can display before a webcam . scanning the i - tag reveals special content onscreen unique to the corresponding product . when the i - tag for deluxe figures , vehicles or creatures are placed under a webcam , animated 3 - d models “come alive” through engaging , evading or defending moves . said a cnet correspondent , “i’ve seen the future of toys and it’s augmented reality . ”
by the turn of the millennium , we were starting to see the first steps towards the type of augmented reality platforms we’re now becoming accustomed to – arquake is an augmented reality version of the quake game developed by id software . the ar game was created in the wearable computer lab at the university of south australia . here’s a look at an ar shoot ’em up game from back in 2002 , this one apparently wasn’t taken any further than the lab :
for more than 12 years , the paris - based company — a veteran of the demo conferences in 2004 and 2007 — has been delivering augmented reality experiences like this to developers , who in turn can launch games for consumers .
showcasing the power of d ' fusion studio and the potential of ar , total immersion created skinvaders™—a free game for ios . skinvaders is the first game to use ar to bring players into the game—literally and physically—transforming their faces into game terrain over which alien invaders , known as skinvaders , battle for domination . players must tap quickly to combat the skinvaders , while popping eggs laid by the aliens .
demonstrating the potential of d ' fusion studio with the skinvaders game was an obvious choice . games have always pushed the limits of technology ,
said uzzan .
by using total immersion ' s d ' fusion studio platform , game developers can build immersive worlds in which players engage .
the concept of augemented reality is shown here - - where real and virtual worlds blend to create a unique experience .
“by the toy industry’s own assessments , digital forms of game play are ready for prime time , and the topps cards and mattel i - tag toys touch on virtually all of the current industry trends , ” said bruno uzzan , ceo and co - founder , total immersion . “augmented reality has gained momentum because of its unique ability to engage consumers in their experience with a brand . mattel’s ‘avatar’ toy line and topps’ new take on trading cards are truly groundbreaking , by taking key assets of important franchises and placing them in the consumer’s hands , to extend these brands in new environments , in new ways .
“as a leader in ar solutions , total immersion’s exceptional product line and extensive partner network have helped numerous fortune 100 companies develop and deliver unique brand experiences to its customers . trylive tm is the inevitable evolution of the company’s solution portfolio , ” said bruno uzzan ceo of total immersion . “our ar solutions make buyers the ‘stars’ of their virtual worlds , allowing them to try - on items like eyeglasses . by eliminating the unknown in purchasing decisions , buyers will feel secure in their purchases , thereby increasing sales for our customers , improving brand engagement and reducing product return rates . thanks to the immersiveness of the ar experience , we also enable “social commerce” where consumers enlist their friends in their purchase selection through social networks like facebook or twitter . ”
“total immersion is sensing a real demand in the market for this kind of clarity , backed by an organized , collective effort . ar is moving well beyond digital marketing . coming up fast are ar solutions in e - commerce / retail , experiential education and entertainment , medicine and science , embedded ar in durable consumer products , and public safety and transportation , among others .
argentinian president cristina fernández de kirchner discovered several of her augmented alter egos at the inauguration of the tecnópolis 2012 science and technology fair .
for example , way back in 1961 , cinematographer morton heilig patented his sensorama machine , an immersive multi - sensory device that looked like a giant arcade game , except it emitted aromas , environmental elements such as wind and it also vibrated and played stereo sounds . whilst some have referred to this as the earliest example of augmented reality , it probably leans more towards the virtual reality world .
the trylive tm platform is designed to increase traffic , engagement and sales conversion for retailers’ web sites , as well as reduce product returns . trylive eyewear will be the first solution available as part of the trylive tm platform . adobe and total immersion will showcase this trylive tm product platform at the internet retailer conference and exhibition in san diego on june 14 and 15 at adobe booth # 1425 .
remember the winking , nodding magical collectible cards of famous witches and wizards from harry potter ? french company total immersion has something similar for muggles : the company helped create baseball cards where 3 - d avatars of players emerged on the desktop to pitch and bat with real - world users , and is also now working with mattel to create a new line of action figures based on the upcoming sci - fi - flick avatar .
so , augmented reality has the potential to affect all industries and walks of life , from advertising and marketing , to gaming and medicine . but , as papagiannis has previously said , much of our current ar experiences are ‘single viewer’ , something she believes we should be moving away from :
last fall , in advance of the release of twentieth century fox’s epic action - adventure film , “avatar , ” mattel launched a new line of action figures based on characters , creatures and vehicles in the film — the first retail toys ever to incorporate augmented reality ( ar ) technology .
ar is not to be confused with virtual reality ( vr ) , which is an entirely digital experience that mimics real - world situations .
krueger developed videoplace over a number of years , creating his own computer systems to facilitate image recognition , analysis , and response in real - time . this essentially meant that it was possible to combine live video images with graphical images . it sure does sound an awful lot like augmented reality :
there are , of course , some gaps in the potted history of augmented reality provided above . countless academics , scientists and geeks have helped us get to where we are today , and those that dared to dream have taken us to places that once existed only in sci - fi movies .
cellphone giant nokia is currently testing an ar app called point & find , which involves pointing your camera phone at real - world objects and planting virtual information tags on them ( above ) . users of the app can view each other’s tags on the phone screen , essentially crowdsourcing an augmented reality .
futurists and computer scientists continue to raise their standards for a perfectly augmented world . höllerer’s dream for augmented reality is for it to reach a state in which it does not rely on a pre - downloaded model to generate information . that is , he wants to be able to point a phone at a city it’s completely unfamiliar with , download the surroundings and output information on the fly . he and his peers at ucsb call this idea “anywhere augmentation . ”
georgia tech’s augmented environments lab has been researching augmented reality for a decade and recently shifted its focus onto handhelds . the video demo above , which the lab created in collaboration with the savannah college of art and design , demonstrates an augmented - reality zombie shooter called arhrrrr . the smartphone in use is a prototype containing an nvidia tegra , a powerful chip specializing in high - end graphics for mobile devices . how do you play ? point the phone camera at a map containing markers , and a 3d hologram of a town overrun by zombies appears on the phone’s screen . using the phone , you can shoot the zombies from the perspective of a helicopter pilot . and you can even place ( real ) skittles on the physical map and shoot them to set off ( virtual ) bombs .
however , we are already seeing some steps towards non - smartphone / tablet augmented reality consumer hardware . the ‘world’s first gps enabled goggle ‘ , aimed at snowboarders , is already available , which displays key data on the inside of the user’s field of view , such as speed , distance , temperature and location :
on the consumer end of the spectrum , developers have recently released augmented reality apps for the google android - powered htc g1 handset . layar , a company based in amsterdam , released an augmented reality browser for android smartphones in june . the layar browser ( video above ) looks at an environment through the phone’s camera , and the app displays houses for sale , popular restaurants and shops , and tourist attractions . the software relies on downloading “layers” of data provided by developers coding for the platform . thus , while the information appears to display in real time , it’s not truly real - time : the app can’t analyze data it hasn’t downloaded ahead of time .
poistr enables non - developers to create elements and points of interests that are viewable using the layar app , one of the most popular augmented reality browsers . poistr is still in beta mode , and it’s currently free to use , but it could be a sign of things to come as ar technology is gradually opened up to the masses .
mattel is using the same type of 3 - d imaging augmented reality in “i - tag” action figures for james cameron’s new movie avatar . the toy includes a card containing a marker , which is projected as a 3 - d action figure on a computer . this way , children can battle each other’s virtual characters on a computer screen .
“where we are now is augmented reality on static environments . there are great applications on sports stadiums as a function of gps , for example . the location of the stadium is known ( and doesn’t change ) so companies can place all kinds of bells and whistles on the stadium . apps can even tell you where the closest bathroom is . ”
in the academic sphere , helen papagiannis , a designer , artist and phd researcher specializing in augmented reality , has been working on some pretty cutting - edge concepts for using ar technology . she recently developed the first ar pop - up book for mobile devices . check out the video here – the tarantula attacks when it’s touched on the screen :
check out our best 2012 projects ! urltoken discover successful projects for digital marketing developed with our augmented reality software d ' fusion : giant screens , mobile games , kiosks for retail . see also how our new solution trylive can boost e - commerce and retail sales . trylive is the next generation virtual try on solution dedicated for eyewear , home , apparel and accessories .
“we’re doing as much as we can with the current technology , ” selzer said regarding the overall augmented - reality developer community . “this industry is just getting started , and as processing speeds speed up , and as more creative individuals get involved , our belief is this is going to become a platform that becomes massively adopted and immersed in the next few years . ”
julian pullan , evp managing director , emea , jack morton worldwide , commented “we are delighted to have been able to work with statoil to show just what can be done with augmented reality . it’s changing the way we view the world , and when you super - impose this technology onto live brand experiences it gets really exciting . this is just the beginning . ”
it seems that ar is currently pretty good with static objects and all things ‘known’ . the next big step for augmented reality – something that crowdoptic is moving towards – is to focus on ‘moving’ and ‘unknown’ targets . for example , it may soon be possible when you’re watching the marathon to hold up your smartphone and track how fast they’re running with real - time stats .
“ar provides a safe , controlled environment to conduct exposure therapy within a patient’s physical surroundings , creating a more believable scenario with heightened ‘presence’ and greater immediacy than virtual reality ( vr ) . ”
google’s tilt brush puts an excellent virtual reality painting and modeling program into users’ hands . teaming it up with the vr system htc vive lets you render and design in three - dimensional space .
that’s augmented reality in a nutshell . as with any burgeoning technology , before we really look at where we’re at and where we’re going , it can be useful to take a quick look back at the path it has taken to where it is today . and if you’re completely new to this area , it’s also a good way to familiarize yourself with something that you’ll be seeing a lot more of in the months and years ahead .
there have been countless notable examples lately of augmented reality in action . it has only been in the last few years that brands have really started to tap into the potential of ar technology , and we reported on this back in december in our retrospective of 2010’s most memorable ar marketing case studies . this post is well worth a revisit to get a flavor of how businesses are harnessing ar tools to really take their advertising to the next level .


the " cornbread mafia " was a group who created the largest domestic marijuana production operation in united states history .

it was based in marion , mccreary , nelson and washington counties in central kentucky .

they first became known to the public by this name in june 1989 when federal prosecutors revealed that 20 men were arrested for organizing a marijuana trafficking ring that stretched across the midwest .

cornbread mafia

cornbread mafia and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle . learn more
there is a book coming out soon about the cornbread mafia . should be interesting reading .
anyone who has seen or heard louisville ' s cornbread mafia is convinced that decadence knows no muse .
by 2007 , the term
cornbread mafia
had come to mean general southern - style corruption . [ 10 ] there is also a song by molly hatchet called cornbread mafia ( on the kingdom of xii album ) , and a now - defunct band that called itself cornbread mafia . [ 11 ]
legendary pot grower johnny boone , leader of kentucky’s ‘cornbread mafia , ’ back in u . s .
who is johnny boone ? the leader of the infamous cornbread mafia faces charges of growing and distributing marijuana .
captured , extradited and detained , ' cornbread mafia ' s ' johnny boone will head back to louisville soon .
we’d love your help . let us know what’s wrong with this preview of the cornbread mafia by james higdon .
legendary pot grower johnny boone , leader of kentucky’s ‘cornbread mafia , ’ back in u . s .
might i add as far as i know cornbread mafia no longer exists . it ended when they were busted in the 80s .
must be cornbread mafia back in action . . . . . . . . . . lol everyone know most monks are gay , duh
by the end of 1991 , prosecutors had arrested more than 100 members of the cornbread mafia , mostly from lebanon , kentucky . [ 8 ]
the man police say was the leader of the so - called
cornbread mafia
pleaded not guilty wednesday to new charges in federal court .
yet despite their living conditions , cornbread mafia found memphis ' s streets were not so mean , if you knew who could take care of you .
< quoted text > might i add as far as i know cornbread mafia no longer exists . it ended when they were busted in the 80s .
they never called themselves the cornbread mafia . that label was attached to them either by the feds who cracked their operation or the newspaper that reported it .
[ higdon’s the cornbread mafia will be released in paperback september 3 but is available now in hardback and on kindle . image credits : steve lowrey . ]
boone may be best known from what prosecutors called the
cornbread mafia
in the 1980s , a large marijuana syndicate with 30 farms in nine states .
john robert boone - aka johnny boone - was the leader of the cornbread mafia , an organised crime gang operating out of kentucky in the late 80s .
john robert boone - aka johnny boone - was the leader of the cornbread mafia , a supposed organised crime gang operating out of kentucky in the late 80s .
cornbread mafia
sounds like a group of overweight men who crash fast food joints & buffets . you know like a group of fat girls are called a
twinkie posse
.
john “johnny” boone , the leader of kentucky’s “cornbread mafia , ” once the nation ' s largest domestic marijuana producing organization , is back in the united states after eight years on the lam .
but in the central kentucky counties of marion and washington that spawned what law enforcement dubbed the cornbread mafia , he is respected , even beloved , for his loyalty , generosity and humble ways .
louisville , ky . ( wdrb ) - - the man police say was the leader of the so - called
cornbread mafia
pleaded not guilty wednesday to new charges in federal court .
boone’s exploits are the subject of a book , “cornbread mafia : a homegrown syndicate ' s code of silence and the biggest marijuana bust in american history , ” by kentucky freelance writer james higdon .
a fugitive known as the “godfather of grass” who once led the cornbread mafia — the largest pot syndicate in us history — has been arrested in canada after nearly a decade on the run , authorities said .
the notorious leader of kentucky ' s
cornbread mafia ,
once the nation ' s largest pot producing organization , was extradited to the united states from canada earlier this month after eight years on the run .
tells his story in a new book ,
the origins of the cornbread mafia : a memoir of sorts
. joe will be at the e - town barnes and noble at 1980 north dixie highway , elizabethtown , ky from 10 : 00 am until 2 : 00 pm . you can find joe on his facebook page here , and buy the book ' the origins of the cornbread mafia ' on amazon or at carmichael ' s bookstore .
they called themselves the “cornbread mafia , ' ' a group of mostly kentuckians who pooled their money , machinery , knowledge and labor to create the largest domestic marijuana producing organization in the nation , federal authorities said in 1989 .
' cornbread mafia ' and more : 5 far - out weed stories here ' s a look at some of the far - out , weed - related stories we ' ve seen this year . check out this story on urltoken urltoken
federal agents in louisville have chased after the alleged leader of the so - called
cornbread mafia
for eight years and , following his recent capture in canada , they ' re pushing to get him back in the bluegrass state .
boone had previously served more than a decade in federal prison for his role in the
cornbread mafia ,
a massive marijuana production operation spread over 29 farms in nine states that reportedly grew more than 180 tons of pot during the 1980s .
the memphis teat eventually ran dry for cornbread mafia , but not before they were booked to play in that year ' s harvest showcase in louisville . but their drummer disappeared . the only one they knew to replace him was playing back home in whatever will .
more than 60 kentucky residents were charged in connection with the
cornbread mafia ,
accused of producing $ 350 million in pot seized in illinois , indiana , kansas , kentucky , michigan , minnesota , missouri , nebraska and wisconsin , prosecutors said in 1989 .
the name of the gang comes from the fact that the members claimed the seeds they were growing was cornbread and not drugs .
the cornbread mafia , a group of mostly kentuckians , pooled their money , machinery , knowledge and labor to produce $ 350 million in pot seized in illinois , indiana , kansas , kentucky , michigan , minnesota , missouri , nebraska and wisconsin , prosecutors said in 1989 .
however , in june 2008 he was found growing 2 , 421 ' cornbread ' seedlings on his farm outside of springfield , kentucky .
what exactlly do you remember , i have just recently heard the term cornbread mafia , it kind of sparked my intrest , i was curious about who were the members , what did they do ? why are they in prison ? sounds pretty cool to me . . . .
for four decades , law enforcement thought of him as the “godfather of grass , ” leader of what prosecutors dubbed the cornbread mafia , whose marijuana production and distribution network may have been the largest such domestic enterprise ever - spanning nine mid - western states and several offshore islands .
higdon carefully tracks cornbread mafia history , calling it “a story of a culture that nurtured the ambitions of young adventurous men willing to take incredible risks with hard work and a story of the economy that made such risky work necessary—free spirits exercising their free will in the free market . ”
after spending over 20 years in federal prison for his involvement in the largest marijuana farming operation in u - s history , joe keith bickett tells his story in a new book ,
the origins of the cornbread mafia : a memoir of sorts
. joe will be at the e - town barnes and noble at 1980 north dixie highway , elizabethtown , ky from 10 : 00 am until 2 : 00 pm . you can find joe on his facebook page here , and buy the book ' the origins of the cornbread mafia ' on amazon or at carmichael’s bookstore .
good book if you are not familiar with this term it is a name given to a group of people from central kentucky who grew marijuana in large quantities . these people did not necessarily grow in the same group or sell in the same group . i have heard about the cornbread mafia all my life but may not have heard the whole truth . the author tells a little bit different story from his interviews with the people involved than what has previously been disclosed . anyone who is familiar with the cornbread mafia should read this book . that is all i ' ll say .
“part much - needed history lesson , part hillbilly noir , the cornbread mafia is the perfect bookend to ken burns’s prohibition , and far more timely . it unflinchingly details the damage done by both those who flout our nation’s drug laws and those who enforce them . authoritative , thrilling , and sobering . ”
in the summer of 1987 , johnny boone set out to grow and harvest one of the greatest outdoor marijuana crops in modern times . in doing so , he set into motion a series of events that defined him and his associates as the largest homegrown marijuana syndicate in american history , also known as the cornbread mafia .
johnny was metioned in pot ' s up magazine and named the
godfather of grass
. who ' s big crop do you think they just busted in springfield last week . as far as the cornbread mafia goes , they are still around . it was a ring of cultivators in this area that distrubited pot to other areas . the book was suppose to be out 2 years ago but something about the content , the publisher wouldn ' t print . most of them that were in jail have been out . they are still out there just not as highly in public view . if you want to know google the cornbread mafia .
the hearing will determine whether boone will remain in custody as he awaits deportation to the united states , where he spent more than 10 years in federal prison after being convicted during the 1980s of running the cornbread mafia — a drug ring that prosecutors called the “largest domestic marijuana syndicate in american history , ” according to the associated press .
the outlaws of marion county , kentucky , defy one prohibition after another . mike riggs | july 13 , 2012 the cornbread mafia : a homegrown syndicate ' s code of silence and the biggest marijuana bust in american history , by james higdon , when the united states lost the philippines to japan in december 1941 , it also lost its …
a semi trailer containing 1 , 600 copies of “the cornbread mafia” by kentucky author james higdon was stolen from a storage lot in elgin , ill . , on the night of april 28 , according to police in the town , located about 40 miles west of chicago . the trailer contained the book’s entire second printing , as well as …
good book if you are not familiar with this term it is a name given to a group of people from central kentucky who grew marijuana in large quantities . these people did not necessarily grow in the same group or sell in the same group . i have heard about the cornbread mafia all my life but may not have heard the whole truth . the author tells a little bit different story from his interviews with the people involved than what has previously been disclosed . anyone who is familiar with the cornbread m
the feds crowed over cracking a domestic syndicate , but the cornbread mafia extended its tentacles all the way to colombia and belize , whose crop was smuggled into the u . s . in belize , says higdon , mennonite farmers grew and harvested pot successfully by buying tractors and other heavy equipment in kentucky and having everything shipped to them via new orleans .
with a band persona based on nicknames and a sound that punches the gut , cornbread mafia is more than vicarious redneck living for the country club set , or even reinforcement of a scorned lifeclass for the personalities they are emulating . they take southern rock from the musty basement closet of classic rock radio and lift it high into the realm of pagan experience .
and when law enforcement agencies arrested 70 people – 69 men and one woman – on 29 farms in 10 states in 1987 , not a single one talked to the government in exchange for a lesser sentence , said james higdon , a lebanon native and author of “the cornbread mafia : a homegrown syndicates’s code of silence and the biggest marijuana bust in american history . ”
john “johnny” boone , the leader of kentucky’s “cornbread mafia , ” once the nation ' s largest domestic marijuana producing organization , is back in the united states after eight years on the lam . boone , who was once featured on “america’s most wanted , ” was apprehended in canada in december 2016 and was ordered detained wednesday after appearing in u . s . district …
by crimesider staff cbs / ap december 22 , 2016 , 7 : 49 pm montreal - - the reputed former leader of the notorious kentucky - based “cornbread mafia” marijuana ring has been captured in canada after eight years on the run , according to the u . s . marshals . john “johnny” boone was taken into custody by canadian law enforcement officials thursday after the …
in the summer of 1987 , johnny boone set out to grow and harvest one of the greatest outdoor marijuana crops in modern times . by doing so , he set into motion a series of events that defined him and his associates as the largest homegrown marijuana syndicate in american history , also known as “the cornbread mafia . ” author james higdon—whose relationship with johnny boone , cu
the organization operated on isolated farms in nine midwestern states , some of which were guarded by bears and lions , and by workers described by the government as a
paramilitary force . ” boone’s exploits were the subject of a book , “cornbread mafia : a homegrown syndicate ' s code of silence and the biggest marijuana bust in american history , ” by kentucky freelance writer james higdon .
by bill estepbestep @ herald - leader . commarch 15 , 2018 07 : 00 pm a kentucky man who helped lead what was once called the biggest marijuana - growing operation in the nation was sentenced thursday to four years and nine months in federal prison . john robert “johnny” boone , now 74 , headed the colorfully named “cornbread mafia , ” which federal authorities said grew more than 180 …
the mafia is still entact . just because they ' re not as mainstream anymore doesnt mean they dont exsist . you can still be buried in loretto if you mess around with the wrong old man .
“i knew of course that decades ago , prohibition pushed moonshiners further into the hollows of appalachia ; now in jim higdon’s pulsating true thriller i’ve discovered that crackdowns on pot are propelling today’s newly minted desperadoes deeper into the wilds of rural america , determined to harvest their crop and supply millions of americans with the bud they crave . higdon has written a speeding bullet of a book that turns grower johnny boone into one of the most fascinating characters i’ve encountered in years . if hunter s . thompson were still with us i believe he’d be praising the cornbread mafia and telling his pals to read it . but since dr . gonzo is gone , i’ll do the job myself : ‘read the cornbread mafia for a hit of real - life excitement . this is a true - crime drama that will keep you hugging the edge of your chair . ’”
i thought i was writing a true - crime story , and at the start i didn’t know much more than the basics : between 1985 and 1989 , 70 men from a three - county area in central kentucky were arrested on 30 farms in 10 states with 200 tons of marijuana in what federal prosecutors said was the “biggest domestic marijuana [ syndicate ] in american history . ” they called them “the cornbread mafia . ”
the media made that name up because a group of local men grew highly potent pot called sesamelian marijunia they said we where cornbread fed . yes several went to prison we still rule marion co . today '
when i started working on the book that would become the cornbread mafia , i never thought that i would be telling a story of god’s law versus man’s law . but that’s how it turned out . which was scary stuff , i thought . the supremacy of divine law over secular law was ( i assumed ) a concept reserved only for religious fundamentalists , so what was i doing with it in a story about large - scale marijuana growers ?
saw the author speak and sat with him at a banquet dinner . he is from the area where the cornbread mafia ruled . he is a fascinating fellow and the story is hilarious , exciting , and hugely interesting from the early catholic settlers in the late 1700s , thru prohibition , to the marijuana growing magnates depicted in the book . hugely recommended and i ' m only 100 pages in . . . . and , it stayed fascinating to the very end .
so cornbread mafia ' s use of the confederate flag isn ' t stitched up tightly in identity politics , or even used as the sentimental ghost of a lost cause . they use it the same as it was used in the dukes of hazzard : a symbol ' s power diluted by a set of clowns , much the same way that mel brooks , who lost relatives in polish death camps , used nazism in the producers and to be or not to be .
“from boardwalk empire to breaking bad , we as a nation are fascinated by the interplay of crime , character , and controlled substances . and if anyone doubts that fact is more amazing than fiction , then read this book . in the cornbread mafia , james higdon traces the rise and fall of a marijuana industry tucked in middle america , and the saga stretches from prohibition to the crack era . with exceptional reporting and infectious storytelling , he takes readers for one unforgettable ride . ”
it ' s a group of italians that immigrated to kentucky from the old country . because several generations have been raised in kentucky , they have lost their italian identity in the way of diet ( they love cornbread and all southern appalachian foods ) but still retain their penchant for revenge and violence as their ancestors did . moral of the story is - dont ever steal a piece of their cornbread or you will find yourself swimmmin with the fishes in the ohio river .
“who knew kentuckians take marijuana as seriously as they do bourbon ? james higdon digs deep to document american pot pioneers and their extralegal escapades . thoroughly researched , the cornbread mafia is chock - full of fascinating homegrown history , not to mention a plethora of entertaining anecdotes of illegality . higdon provides an intimate look at an exceedingly wild bunch of outlaws . most impressively , he gains exclusive access to johnny boone , an eccentric , pot - farming legend and longtime fugitive from the law . ”
hands down , james higdon ' s
cornbread mafia
is one of the best true crime books i ' ve ever read , bringing to life the colorful history of marion county and its metamorphosis from dissident catholic enclave to moonshiner ' s and bootlegger ' s central to the place that made american pot synonymous with kentucky bluegrass . in this respect , the book is less an examination of a particular criminal or criminal cartel , but instead a cultural history of a particular place and its peculiar brand of crime . al
the cornbread mafia is a very interesting book for people that like books about kentucky history , marijuana , and a little bit of violence . this book dives deep into the culture of marion county , kentucky and its unapologetic views on marijuana growth and cultivation - views stemming from as early as the prohibition era . the only reason i even had the idea to pick up this book is because it was recommended to me by the author ' s sister . i am quite glad that i purchased this book and will now recom
this is a story about one of the largest marijuana syndicates ever , the
cornbread mafia
. the group came from a rural and predominantly catholic county in kentucky . it shows a close - knit , loyal group of so - called
hillbillies
who were catapulted to a national profile in the industry due to their skill at growing and harvesting the controversial cannibis genus of plants . it especially focuses in on one of the main men in this group , johnny boone . i found it extremely fascinating . the author did
i would have given this book 4 1 / 2 stars if the ranking system would allow . the author does a very good job of laying the cultural foundation of the area in which the
cornbread mafia
gots its start . most folks wouldn ' t have taken the time or effort and the story would have been impoverished for it . he seems to have established relationship with several persons in the story but as best i can tell does not fall to the temptation of sugar - coating the stories to cast these folks in a more favorable
“the state of kentucky should declare itself the storytelling capital of the nation . the place is brimming with remarkable , colorful stories and some of the most natural storytellers you’ll ever meet . james higdon and his new book , the cornbread mafia , are the latest proof of that . this is a tale that is so rich and utterly startling that it’s honestly hard to believe in parts . but higdon’s research is smart , and his writing is smooth . he’s especially good on the history of this american saga , which may have fallen through the cracks of time without his hard work . ”
“whether you are interested in learning more about a unique chapter of kentucky’s and our nation’s history or just want to be entertained , you should read this book . more importantly , though , the cornbread mafia is a case study of the effects upon a single tight - knit community of the drug laws put in place by successive administrations . whether you support these laws or oppose them , this book provides a window into how those laws affect real families and their communities . higdon’s book is especially timely , coming on the heels of the ken burns documentary , prohibition , and ron paul’s presidential campaign . ”
in the cornbread mafia ' s realm of decadence , the southern rock of lynyrd skynyrd has married his busty punk underground cousin from the northeast , all snarls and sadism . the two now blast through the land in an orange 1970s plymouth , tricked out with an oversized engine and the doors welded shut , on an eternal honeymoon of corn - liquor bliss . the new music they ' ve spawned brings them converts to their sound in about half the audiences they play for , whether they ' re in a rib joint in the south end of louisville or in a small tavern in connecticut loaded with tommy hilfigerites .
“in the cornbread mafia james higdon takes readers into a sub - culture that will surprise many—catholic hill people of kentucky . the area was renowned for distilling whiskey , legal and otherwise , and after exposure to the war in vietnam , many locals turned to the cultivation of marijuana and thrived . the characters higdon reveals to us are not notably different from protestant thugs of the hills , but not one has ever snitched . the history of the region , the details of the crimes and way of life , make for a strangely compelling book and an insight from another angle into our own recent past and present . ”
boone ' s leading role in the
cornbread mafia
syndicate ( which earned him the
godfather of grass
sobriquet ) , and subsequent flight from justice , made him a high - profile fugitive and at one point , the subject of an episode of america ' s most wanted . the program ' s host , john walsh , described boone as a
deadly , ruthless drug lord
who adhered to
a code of silence used by italian - american mobsters called omerta ,
which boone allegedly described as ,
always have a clear view of right and wrong , to do right without reserve .
if bigger and better means playing during bike week at daytona beach , opening for the outlaws , a reunited version of the 1970s southern rock powerhouse , gaining more fans from the crowds of bikers and college students spending their trust funds during spring break , then heading back up to the northeast for a dualie - load of club dates , c - mob can ' t be accused of underreaching . it is how they spent the month of march . and molly hatchet , another skillet - fried act from 20 years ago that is also touring , has released a cd with a song titled
cornbread mafia ,
a tribute to the band that once opened a show for them .
the five members of cornbread mafia ( a . k . a . , c - mob ) don ' t use their real names within the band persona . joining adonis and big ed k are boo - boo on drums , the claw on rhythm guitar and a bassist bluntly named tench - four from the south end of louisville , one from jeffersontown . it is a strategy that temporarily removes real identities to create the appearance of something otherworldly , detached from our own daily realities , almost alien . kind of like the justice league of america . or maybe like the spice girls , except you won ' t find any member of c - mob wearing platform sandals or getting breast implants .
in louisville cornbread mafia generates a buzz with shows in only in a few regular places . willow lake tavern on la grange road , rubbie ' s barbecue & brew on southside drive , barretones on barrett avenue , and sometimes at headliners music hall are the venues where the band brings its short , decadent pageants . the owners don ' t seem to mind and some in the audience become c - mob converts . but others in the audience might also view them with discomfort . the c - mob flavor of paganism tromps on a few sensitive toes , especially with their expressive use of the confederate flag , which appears on stage and adorns the breasts of the women in the
dirty white boy
video .
the first catholic church west of the appalachian mountains was built in 1790 in holy cross , kentucky — ground zero of what would become cornbread country 200 years later . five years before the church was built , the land had been settled by a group of catholic families of english descent led by a man named basil hayden , a distiller of whisky .
i would have given this book 4 1 / 2 stars if the ranking system would allow . the author does a very good job of laying the cultural foundation of the area in which the
cornbread mafia
gots its start . most folks wouldn ' t have taken the time or effort and the story would have been impoverished for it . he seems to have established relationship with several persons in the story but as best i can tell does not fall to the temptation of sugar - coating the stories to cast these folks in a more favorable light . i also enjoyed the story behind the writing of the book told at the end of the book and the light is shed on the culture of law enforcement and amw .
the cornbread mafia is a very interesting book for people that like books about kentucky history , marijuana , and a little bit of violence . this book dives deep into the culture of marion county , kentucky and its unapologetic views on marijuana growth and cultivation - views stemming from as early as the prohibition era . the only reason i even had the idea to pick up this book is because it was recommended to me by the author ' s sister . i am quite glad that i purchased this book and will now recommend it to anyone that i think will enjoy it ( which is most people ) . take a chance on this book . you will surely walk away after reading it with a different perspective on many different issues .
beginning with
the minnesota 17
, 70 kentuckians were accused of growing 182 tons of
cornbread
on 29 farms in 10 states , including minnesota , [ 4 ] illinois , indiana , michigan , nebraska , [ 5 ] missouri and kansas , [ 6 ] which federal prosecutors considered to be the
largest domestic marijuana producing organization in the nation .
[ 7 ]
j . w . witten , former road manager for jerry lee lewis , was representing cornbread mafia in early 1997 when he booked them to play two gigs in memphis , one of them on valentine ' s day ( an appropriately decadent holiday , allegedly the most profitable day in any frederick ' s of hollywood store ) . back then c - mob was another band living and working in louisville , playing gigs , losing and firing members , and finding new ones . when the opportunities came , they looked at the gigs in memphis as a chance to break away and scorch the south in the name of decadent rock - and - roll . so a week before the band was to leave for memphis , mertz and the claw were drinking in butchertown pub and decided that they were not coming back to louisville .
i purchased t his book because i was told about it and i was born in kentucky . my cousin was engaged to a city manager of kentucky and he was mafia . i ' ve always been very interested in this way of life and the book was an excellent piece of information in which i enjoyed very much . the backwoods kentucky people are to be treated respectively . they have their ways in dealing with people who do not respect them , and since there isn ' t much employment in certain areas , they are going to make their money any way they can . in some ways i can understand that . i grew up poor , however , my dad worked four jobs to keep a roof over our heads . i really enjoyed the book , others should , too . it ' s full of info about the way of living with these very special farm people ! i loved the book ! i ' m ordering more books of the kentucky mafia .
now , having grown up in the middle of that three - county area ( lebanon , kentucky in marion county ) , i had some clue about this cornbread deal , who some of the men were and what kinds of cars they drove . i went to school with their kids . we were all part of the same catholic parishes and ended up at the same catholic wedding receptions . but what did our rural catholic identity have to do with a giant marijuana cartel ?
the children of that mob scene would grow up to become the cornbread generation : men who seemed to possess an ability to live outside of civil authority without losing their souls in the process . of course , this is not universally true , and the story of those who successfully walked this line is littered with others’ failure . the body count in my book is about a dozen , and the number of families torn apart by mandatory federal prison sentences and property seizures is too great to count .
it didn’t take long into the reporting process to encounter these facts : of the 70 men arrested in cornbread - related busts , 69 were catholics and zero agreed to cooperate with law enforcement in exchange for a lesser sentence . those facts , and others like them , left me searching for a cause - and - effect relationship between catholicism and criminal activity — and i found it in newspaper microfilm and in church archives as they illuminated the parallel histories of the frontier catholic church and the distilling industry .
since weber became manager , the band now has a web site that gets 20 , 000 hits a month ( which includes downloadable and streaming files of the
dirty white boy
video ) , a regular performance schedule , and opportunities to play outside louisville - including gigs at cbgb ' s , new york city ' s hallowed ground of music on the edge . with demos at hand and a video that can steam up a computer screen , weber ' s strategy seems to give listeners just a slice of cornbread before the full onslaught .
my mother bought a house from a woman whose husband was in the mafia . of course he went to prison , i ' m not sure if he has been released yet or not . not all of them have . after we had lived in the house for almost four years , we started having trouble with the septic system . we had it cleaned out and you wouldn ' t believe all the bags of pot that was tightly wrapped and sealed . they had been clogging the system and finally after all those years they finally were discovered . it was crazy ! that happened back in 2000 , i recall .
tallahassee , fla . ( wctv ) - - a new report shows more safety features are needed for construction projects at the florida state university maglab .
the report was ordered after employee glenn nix died in an explosion at the lab . the accident happened last october .
the purpose of the report was to identify safety issues and how to address them . there are about 15 measures in the report that administrators say they are already working on .
changes will include adding more staff , more staff training , and adding more equipment in terms of gauges , metering and labeling . administrators say they will also streamline operations to be more suited and refocused on safety .
many of the measures are specific to construction projects at the fsu mag lab , since that ' s what glenn nix was working on at the time of the deadly accident .
administrators say it was high pressure discharge from a device used to cool down one of the magnets at the lab that killed nix .
nix’s former supervisor , anthony moore , keeps a black doo rag at his office to remind him of glenn nix .
nix worked for moore at the city of tallahassee before changing jobs to the fsu maglab .
moore said ,
glenn gave me that . he always wanted to ride my motorcycle . he gave me that to ride and instead of taking it home , as a tribute to him , i left it on my desk . i ' ll probably keep it forever at work .
in response to the fatal accident , administrators called on scientists from across the country to investigate the situation and assess how to move forward .
moore said ,
i’m glad to know that they are working on the problem so that it won ' t happen again . that ' s what it ' s all about , safety for the employees and protecting the worker ' s family .
administrators are actively searching for a safety officer to hire . that person would specifically be in charge of construction projects and safety .
the report concluded that even during construction processes , there needed to be multiple layers of additional safety features .
dr . gary ostrander , the vice president of research , said ,
when you ' re in that kind of a frontier where it ' s unknown , there ' s always a possibility that mistakes can be made . so , it ' s really important we come to really appreciate we have to add additional safety steps to make sure that we don ' t have another accident .
dr . ostrander says some of the safety measures have already been put in place . others could take a few more months .
tallahassee , fla . — a special panel is now investigating the deadly accident at the florida state university maglab .
worker glenn nix was killed october 21st – when a steel cap burst off a pressurized pipe and hit him .
fsu officials say a 5 member panel of internal and external stakeholders will now review the incident in detail .
the accident happened in the maglab’s dc field facility—where the cooling system for a new magnet was being constructed .
tallahassee , fla . — a section of fsu ' s mag lab remains closed as police continue to investigate a deadly accident .
mechanical worker glenn nix was killed wednesday when the cap blew off a pressurized pipe .
news of his death is hitting especially hard at the city of tallahassee ' s underground utilities , where he worked for years before taking a job at the mag lab last month .
it ' s just hard to take that he ' s gone ,
kent thibou said as a tear rolled down his face .
thibou worked with glenn nix day by day , side by side , in this truck for years .
the two spent each day sending a robotic camera into city sewer lines to check for trouble .
thibou tried calling nix when he first heard about the accident wednesday , but never got an answer .
it ' s just hard to deal with being that . . . he was the last - well i was the last person he worked with here before he left . we had that relationship where we could talk to each other about anything ,
thibou said .
nix was killed wednesday just four weeks after taking a job as a mechanical trades technician at fsu ' s mag lab . the university says he was part of a crew working on a pipe that supplied cooling water to magnets . a spokesman says the crew was trying to remove a steel cap when it blew off and struck nix .
i just prayed that it ' s not really true ,
former co - worker nathaniel grimsley said .
i though . . . i just prayed that he didn ' t go through any pain and i thought about his family and his kids and i prayed for them , as well .
a tragedy like that - somebody that you work with right beside each other and talk to everyday and spend more time with him than you do your own family , you know , it was just really , really , really hard to hear something like that happened to nick ,
former co - worker isaac townsend said .
everyone at the city of tallahassee ' s underground utilities fights back tears as they talk about the man they called
nick
- who they say loved his wife and children and could fix just about anything .
they called him a
tinkerer
who liked fixing cars and just about everything else he could find for free on craigslist .
his former boss at tallahassee underground utilities says they will miss his smile and the pride he took in his work .
when we heard that it actually was nix everybody was like gosh you know that was nix less than a month ago we were sitting at the table next door eating lunch we were working laughing talking ,
former supervisor anthony moore said .
it was just hard to accept .
tallahassee , fla . — on wednesday , oct . 21 , 2015 at about 10 a . m . , an accident occurred at the national high magnetic field laboratory ( maglab ) that resulted in the fatality of a mechanical worker .
glenn nix , who worked as a mechanical trades technician at the maglab , was part of a crew working on a new magnet under construction within the lab’s direct current ( dc ) field facility when the accident occurred .
the crew was working on part of the system that would supply cooling water to the magnet during operation . they attempted to remove a steel cap from the end of the water supply pipe and encountered a release of pressurized air and water that propelled the cap forward , striking nix .
an emergency call for assistance was made by another team member , and the maglab’s safety department provided the initial emergency response , followed by the fsu police , city of tallahassee fire and police departments and emergency medical technicians .
maglab leadership and fsu officials convened an all - hands staff meeting within 90 minutes of the incident . grief counselors were on - site immediately following the incident and continue to be available .
the magnets housed within the lab’s dc field facility are connected to cooling water pipes . immediately following the incident , that facility was shut down . the maglab’s facilities and safety teams performed an initial inspection of the magnet cooling water pumps and determined that the incident was confined to the magnet construction area . the magnet cooling water system was secured , and the dc field facility remains shut down .
the maglab is fully cooperating with authorities in the continuing investigation . an official investigative report from the fsu police department is expected to be completed in the near future .
tallahassee , fla . — an employee of the national high magnetic field laboratory at florida state university died this morning in a workplace accident while working on a magnet construction project .
the employee , who worked on the facilities staff at the maglab , was pronounced dead at the scene . florida state university police identified him as glenn nix . a second employee was treated at the scene for minor injuries and released .
there was no ongoing safety risk to maglab employees or the public as a result of the accident . next of kin has been notified and grief counselors are on the scene speaking with employees . employees seeking professional counseling are advised to contact the employee assistance program .
fsu police were notified at 10 : 13 a . m . wednesday . police arrived on the scene immediately and launched an investigation . leon county ems , tfd and tpd also responded .
“this is truly a tragic event and my heart goes out to the family of the employee , ” said gary k . ostrander , florida state university vice president for research . “such a loss is difficult to absorb for such a close and caring community . we are here to provide support to those who need it .
“our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to the family and maglab community , ” fsu president john thrasher said . “i hope everyone at fsu will keep glenn and his family in their prayers during this difficult time . ”
the “how time mcflies” community event scheduled for this evening at the maglab was immediately cancelled following the accident . the only magnet lab of its kind in the united states , the maglab is home to some of the largest and most powerful magnets in the world . the lab was established by the national science foundation in 1990 .
tallahassee , fla . - - florida state university says that a workplace accident at the national high magnetic field laboratory resulted in an employee fatality this morning .
the facility , known as maglab , is located on east paul dirac drive in west tallahassee .
officials say there is no ongoing safety risk to maglab or the public as a result of the accident .
an fsu alert stated that next of kin has been notified and grief counselors are at the scene speaking with employees .
the
how time mcflies
event scheduled for 5 p . m . wednesday at maglab has been cancelled .
according to its website , maglab is the only facility of its kind in the united states and more than a thousand scientists visit the facility to use its unique magnets every year .
the lab is jointly operated for the national science foundation by florida state university , the university of florida , and los alamos national laboratory .
fsu is responsible for establishing and maintaining administrative and financial oversight of the lab .
no further details are available at this time . wctv will update this story as more details become available .
comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station .
viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station ' s fcc public inspection file by contacting the station with the information listed below . questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the fcc ' s online public file system should be directed to the fcc at 888 - 225 - 5322 , 888 - 835 - 5322 ( tty ) , or fccinfo @ urltoken .
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the elevator ' s descent slowly glided to a stop . thin music drizzled like liquid tin from a speaker in the ceiling . the man stood against the back wall near the corner . two bells chimed in a clumsy succession . the door slid open smoothly . in stepped a slender - legged blonde in a dark suit , who abruptly turned her back to him , glanced to see which floor button was pressed , then gently shifted her body weight to her left side . the doors closed and the elevator resumed its slow slide downward .
he glanced at the security camera in the elevator ' s upper left corner and sidled away from the young woman . he thought himself to be enough of a gentleman to give her some space and less of a fool to be caught doing something that the eyes on the other side of the camera would misinterpret . besides , stepping away from her gave him a better chance to roam his eyes up and down her body .
the straps of her black , thick - soled shoes embraced her slim ankles . her right leg was cocked slightly so that her calf and thigh formed a soft
7 ,
the sum of balance ( 3 ) and completion ( 4 ) - the number of perfection . her long hair was pulled up and pinned on top of her head . strands of it curved down to her neck and along her jawline . her glasses had narrow rectangular frames . her gray eyes gleamed behind them . her pale yellow shirt was open at the collar . the gem of a thin necklace glowed in the hollow of her throat . perfume from her sun - warmed skin floated in the air .
he bent his head down and scratched the underside of his nose with one finger , keeping his eyes locked on the young woman . hers were watching the floor numbers glow as the elevator descended . she might be too young for him , he thought , but age should never be a barrier between consenting adults . he had been trying to keep a youthful look about him . he had gotten used to the small golden hoop dangling from his left earlobe . plus he still had the tan from last month ' s vacation to daytona . he made an attempt to clear his throat and get ready to speak . it came out as a small grunt . his face flushed as his eyes darted back up to the camera .