Lost ARG 2008 - Part 4

So good old Hans Van Eeghen has been in touch via e-mail once again! On 29th July I received an e-mail entitled ‘Recruiting Volunteers NOW’ which contained the following information.

THE DHARMA INITIATIVE WANTS YOU!

Recruiting Volunteers NOW.Join the Dharma Initiative's latest groundbreaking research project.
Visit www.dharmawantsyou.com and complete an 'Eligibility Test'.

Our innovative research has brought together someof the brightest minds on the planet.And we'd like you to join us.

APPLY TODAY.

HELP GUIDE THE WORLD TO A BETTER TOMORROW.

So, this was what I had been waiting for, and I went to http://www.dharmawantsyou.com/ to see what it was all about. . .

If you stick around when the site first loads you will see various slogans swirl around the screen. If you're impatient and press 'Skip Intro' you will miss the following:

Does the world fill you with wonder?
Marvel at human ingenuity
A better tomorrow for everyone?
Join us

Then I was presented with the main page that asked me if I was new, already registered, or registered at Comic-Con. Alas for me I was not yet registered, so I clicked on: ‘Are you a new recruit?’ I was informed that I was to be tested to check for my eligibility and that I would have to answer 17 questions.

I clicked on Commence Test and went through it. Basically the test was in two sections: a Visual Test (where various images were presented with four optional words that you had to select one of in accordance with what you thought was most appropriate) – such as below.

And there was a Perspective Test (where various statements – like you are running down an unfamiliar street – were posted with four options for you select one of in accordance with which seemed right to you) – such as below.

Once the test was complete my results were processed and I was informed that I had passed. To be honest, I suspect it’s impossible to ‘fail’ the test. It’s just a weird, sometimes creepy, kind of test just designed to make you feel like you’re getting involved in something. To that end, it’s quite slick.

Anyway, I registered my details and it now appears that I have been recruited by the Dharma Initiative! Exciting stuff! Back on the site the main page has options to view ‘My Progress’ and a leaderboard – but all of these are so far awaiting me to complete my volunteer assessment, something that should be headed my way over the next few weeks. Maybe my performance there will dictate what kind of ‘level’ I get to. . .

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Last bit of business about this. If you check out the site address http://www.dharmawantsyou.com/site/emails/0729.php, which shows the e-mailed content, and as with previous mails view the source code, our good friend ‘Ruckus Guy’ has embedded a message there.

meta name="Alert1" content="Banks Claw" /
meta name="Alert2" content="DOUBLEYOUDOUBLEYOUDOUBLEYOUDOTyoutubeDOTcom

FORWARDSLASHwatchQUESTIONMARKvEQUALScW6xkv9vwos" /
!-- Banks Claw --
!-- DOUBLEYOUDOUBLEYOUDOUBLEYOUDOTyoutubeDOTcomFORWARDSLASH

watchQUESTIONMARKvEQUALScW6xkv9vwos –

Phew! Let’s pick the bones out of this one.

Firstly, “Banks Claw” is an anagram of ‘Black Swan’. In reality, a Black Swan is a metaphorical term for something that ought not to exist. Like all swans are white, so a black swan showing up is a random, atypical event. Perhaps this is how Ruckus Guy sees himself, or is a comment about the new Dharma Initiative.

So the spelled out website address (they are both the same) is as follows:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW6xkv9vwos

The link takes you to youtube where you can watch a video of the new Dharma Inititive’s promo video that was playing at Comic-Con. Alternatively, you can see it below!



Ruckus Guy also left a message next to the video on youtube saying: “Here it is! Told you I’d get it. More to come. . .”