Santa Rosa Institute
I came across the
LiveJournal page of Chris (corourke), on which he ponders the reality of the
Santa Rosa Institute of Advanced Genetics. Upon checking it out, the site had me confused for a while also. At first glance it appears to be a legitimate biotech company with two products in development: Genuflex (an anti-aging drug), and Envigor (a drug that decreases the need for sleep). So far, so good. I know there really are companies developing products like this. But then if you do a google search for the 'Santa Rosa Institute' links to the
Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency start coming up. The FVZA rails against the Santa Rosa Institute, denouncing it as a front for vampire research. For instance, here's the FVZA's
take on Envigor:
Recently, the Santa Rosa Institute has been pushing Envigor, a drug designed to help people stay alert when working overnight shifts. Study results trumpeted in an Institute press release suggest that Envigor helps people stay awake and alert all night, with no apparent side effects. Of course, the Institute left out one minor detail: ENVIGOR IS MADE FROM VAMPIRE BLOOD.
Obviously the FVZA is a joke, but the question is: is the Santa Rosa Institute also a joke? Is it a fake site created by the FVZA, or is it a real company that just happens to have become a target for the FVZA's satire? For a moment I was inclined to think the SRI might be real, because a further search uncovered real-looking
press releases from the SRI on
other sites. But then I noticed something: a hidden vampire reference on the SRI site. If you click on the 'Home' link, a link to the
FVZA Museum surreptitiously appears in the right-hand corner. It's easy to miss. So it appears that the Santa Rosa Institute
is a fake site created by the FVZA. Though it's definitely a fairly elaborate fake.
Posted By: Alex | Date:
Mon Nov 15, 2004 |
Permalink |
Total Comments: 27
Category:
Websites,
Paranormal
Comments
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
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I did a simple check on WhoIs.com, and the only similarities I found was that they're using the same two servers.
Posted by Dan on Mon Nov 15, 2004 at 12:59 PM
If I had to guess, I'd guess this has something to do with Blade 3, the vampire movie with Wesley Snipes, which is coming out soon. A little viral marketing, perhaps?
Posted by Vincent in Norwalk, Connecticut on Mon Nov 15, 2004 at 04:17 PM
I am inclined to believe it's not real because of the product "genuflex." It is so close to genuflect(s) (to kneel in reverence) that no sensible person or marketing firm would use it for a trade name. Of course, that doesn't entirely rule it out, people being idiots.
Posted by cvirtue on Mon Nov 15, 2004 at 06:11 PM
Both these sites remind me of the Hunter the Reckoning videogames (both the FVZM, which list 'the hidden truth' of real events we had been lead to believe were caused by humans when they were really the result of monsters and SRI, a company making products that are good for humans but harm monsters... and as a side note, the company in the Hunter games was called something VERY similar to Genuflex)
Although I'm fairly certain it's not promoting a new Hunter game/the upcoming movie since those have all been set in a town called Ashcroft so far... I wonder if the sites aren't inspired by Hunter games/the 'backstory' to a fan's own games using the Whitewolf pen and pencil RPG's (on which the Hunter videogames are based)
Posted by Eric on Tue Nov 16, 2004 at 02:27 AM
cvirtue wrote: 'I am inclined to believe it's not real because of the product "genuflex." It is so close to genuflect(s) (to kneel in reverence) that no sensible person or marketing firm would use it for a trade name.'
...And, of copurse, when one is bitten in Blade one can become a slave - possibly supporting the movie-tie-in theory?
Posted by paul in prague on Tue Nov 16, 2004 at 03:35 AM
When trying to investigate this, I stumbled across another 'genuflex':
"Those traditional, draughty, musty-smelling sin bins had better say their prayers. Genuflex of Venice have made penance a pleasure with their new Millennium Confessionals.
"Gone is the traditional wooden chair or stool. Instead, the priest can sink into a black leather armchair. At his side is an electronic console to regulate the temperature, dim the lighting and adjust the sound-proofing. Yes, sound-proofing. According to Paolo Lion, Genuflex's managing director: 'You can scream to your heart's content ‰ÛÒ even kill the priest ‰ÛÒ and no one outside would be any the wiser.'"
http://ship-of-fools.com/Gadgets/Church/084.html
Posted by paul in prague on Tue Nov 16, 2004 at 03:43 AM
The Santa Rosa Institute it not real. Its a support site to the FVZA site. Genuflex and Envigor are bogus products.You can't make a product out of something that doesn't exsist(vampire blood). This why WhoIs.com lists them to the same server. The web site and forum are there to support a independant movie the site creator is working on. I investigated this when it first came out. I also joined the message board there a while back. It definitely is a elaborate fake. If you look at the Museum its located in the middle of Kirtland Air Force Base.According to the provided map.
Posted by Dave in Philadelphia on Sun Nov 21, 2004 at 07:11 AM
For further evidence, if you look at the HTML source it is clear that the FVZA website and the SRI website are written by the same person. Also, these are the HTML keywords for the SRI site:
meta name="keywords" content="genetics, longevity, vampires, zombies, DNA, lifespan">
Posted by f on Wed Jan 26, 2005 at 08:17 PM
the 11 "Nobel laureats" first tipped me off, as is the fact that they have no contact information. it's excellent though. i loved it. i doubt it's an advertisement- just someone who likes zombies and vampires making an excellent joke. Also, the line "continue our assault on the last frontiers of human biology" is a bit too impolitic.
Posted by yo on Thu Jan 27, 2005 at 08:28 AM
HY all ...i really believed the FVZA site and i believed that vampirism (not like u see it in movies) but simple lust for blood is a biological disease...
I DO NOT SAY FVZA AND SRI ARE TRUE ./...
BUT WHY ...why on earth would someone invest ushc work and time to invent a hoax that has no result....no media no publicity nothing ...
just read the FVZA web to see how elaborate its described
Posted by Valentin R on Wed Apr 20, 2005 at 12:02 PM
This is all very amusing and educational! Do you really think if a Federal Agency is working with supernatural beings would be that easy to trace!?!
- J. S. "Bloodbane". Agent at FVZA.
Posted by Bloodbane in Cania on Sun May 08, 2005 at 04:41 AM
Just listen to you people, is it really hard enough to believe there are biological diseases that create such beings as a zombie and/or vampire? If you need a little more convincing, heres a site that tells you of the product Genuflex:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2002/1/prweb31867.htm
Posted by Anonymus Researcher on Sun Sep 18, 2005 at 01:03 PM
long shot theory here, but could it be connected to the tv show lost? hurley and emily were patients at santa rosa mental health institute. the others could be some sort of zombie/vampire experiment gone wrong. was the site created last fall (2004) when lost started or has it been around for longer than that?
Posted by patrick o'keeffe in new york on Mon Nov 14, 2005 at 09:26 AM
I think it's a lot older than Lost.
Posted by Alex in San Diego on Mon Nov 14, 2005 at 12:25 PM
The FVZA is a marvelous organization, and I am delighted to be a part of it, as a shadow agent. No, the FVZA is not very secretive, as vampires and zombies are not very secretive. Anywho, yea, check out the site, it's great. Dr. Pecos did a fine job commemorating those that have served our great nation.
Posted by SwingBlade in FVZA HQ, Albuquerque, New Mexico on Tue Dec 27, 2005 at 03:56 PM
in response to the theory that the Santa Rosa Institute is connected to the tv show LOST...
Lost has a bunch of mock-websites up, the main one being
http://www.oceanicworldair.com
this site links to a few other bizarre LOST themed sites. at the top of the page the link Careers actually splits into three links. The "Car" takes you to the Santa Rosa Institute site, and the "ee" and "rs" take you to aireal shots of different buildings, presumably the Santa Rosa Institute.
This, and the fact that googling Santa Rosa Institute brings up more jokey pages, makes me think that its another LOST hoax, except that it appears to pre-date LOST.
hmmm...
Posted by Joe in Wisconsin on Fri Jan 20, 2006 at 02:34 PM
you know its easy for the government to cover up things they don't want noticed even if it includes killing people. Yet I don't know whats funnier the deciever or the decieved. All over the world in many diffrent cultures Vampires and Zombies are talked about and even if this institute isn't real I know that there are the ones that do meddle in things they have no right meddling in hello people what is the best weapon something thats already dead they just have not found the proper way to control it or to keep terrorists or others from becoming what they are take heed and always believe in what you can't see just in case something creepy happens
Posted by Cher on Mon Feb 06, 2006 at 01:09 PM
yeah it's not a serious website. the site doesn't look that perfesional... if it was actually run by the government they would have alot better graphics and stuff... it's also on yahoo's 100 top wierd sites... it's number 61 and if you look at the bottom next to the "T" for teen thing... it will say that the site is for entertainment purposes.
here's the address:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/hot/100-weird/7.html
Posted by will in Psilock32, Fl on Thu Jun 01, 2006 at 06:03 PM
http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=October%2024,%202004
Used to live in Albequerque. The SRI is actually a place, but the location info is wrong. Also the FVZA does predate lost by quite a few years. But that's beside the point, because it's just for amusement purposes. Right? So maybe the nut running the site also actually knows a little more on some subjects than your average person, doesn't mean you can take it all seriously, because they throw in so much malarkey. It's pretty funny though, you have to admit. And for a while here several decades ago, medical researchers were pretty keen on wanting to study vampire blood as a possible cure for aids. Which is so crazy since there's no such thing. Hmm. As an aside, I don't advise trudging too far into the supposed crash site area out in Roswell. Because there are signs posted everywhere that tresspassing would be a very bad and possible lethal idea, because the whole area is cattle ranch according to the signs. The cows however, are not there or invisible and if you drive in too far past the signs, the men in jeeps will come with guns and take your camera and escort you off the property. No joke. Doesn't mean aliens landed there, but maybe a govt testing facility of some kind is there. Never know.
Posted by Syd in not in kansas on Sun Mar 04, 2007 at 08:13 PM
Solanum is responsible for eating away at the conscious mind and is in Mousaka and Aubergines, after eating enough you start walking around town focusing on the living, (you've become a zombie.) No know detox found as yet, please email one if found.
Posted by AxiomTrion257 in London on Fri Aug 10, 2007 at 07:41 AM
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