Oddity Central

Oddity Central


Chilean Police Report Paranormal Activity While Investigating Domestic Disturbance

Posted: 28 Feb 2017 01:15 PM PST

People report cases of paranormal activity somewhere around the world virtually every day, but it’s not often that you hear police officers actually confirming these occurrences. However, that’s exactly what happened a couple of days ago in a Chilean city, when police investigating a domestic disturbance were allegedly attacked by mysterious forces.

On February 26, 2017, a group of Carabineros – Chilean police force – were called to investigate a home in Puerto Montt, after the desperate owners called the emergency number to complain that they were being terrorized by unnatural forces. When they arrived at the house in the municipality of municipality of Fe y Esperanza, they noticed several broken windows and a partially burned mattress in the yard. The owners were outside and as soon as they saw the police approaching they started telling them that there was strange paranormal activity inside the house. Obviously, the Carabineros didn’t believe them, but they quickly changed their mind once they went inside to investigate.

Second corporal Boris Olavarría González, of the Sixth Police Station in Puerto Montt, told reporters that he and his colleagues were questioning the owners inside the house when a trowel fell from the attic like somebody had thrown it down. After checking the attic and confirming that it was empty, González claims that he called out the “demon” asking it to leave. After receiving no response, he decided to go back outside, but on his way to the front door he was struck from behind by a knife.

World’s First Cannabis Gym Wants to Get You High and Pumped

Posted: 28 Feb 2017 11:02 AM PST

Weed and fitness apparently go well together, and the Power Plant Fitness gym, in San Francisco, wants to prove that once and for all by allowing clients to consume cannabis in various forms, while they work out. Power Plant Fitness advertises itself as the world’s first cannabis-friendly gym.

Before you get the wrong idea about this place, it’s important to mention that Power Plant Fitness “won’t be a place to get high and just screw around,” quite the opposite. Co-founders Jim McAlpine and Ricky Williams claim that they are “focused on the athletic side, not the cannabis side,” and that they want to tackle the stereotype that pot users are lazy. The new gym will use cannabis as a tool to improve members’ concentration and speed up their post-workout recovery. McAlpine says he experienced the positive effects of weed while skiing, and that gave him the idea to try it in a gym environment.

Indonesian Woman Goes Overseas to Work, Has Kidney Removed Without Her Knowledge

Posted: 28 Feb 2017 08:52 AM PST

For years now, international media has been reporting on the physical and psychological abuse suffered by migrant workers from poor Asian countries at the hands of rich Middle-Eastern employers, but organ theft has never been mentioned. Until now, anyway, as an Indonesian woman recently revealed that one of her kidneys had been removed without her knowledge three years ago, while she was working in Qatar.

25-year-old Sri Rabitah, from Lombok, in Indonesia, claims that in June 2014 she reached out to a local employment agency to help her find a job in the Middle East. She was originally told that she would be sent to work for a family in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, but somehow ended up in the home of a Palestinian family, in Doha, Qatar. As soon as she arrived, her employers told Sri that she first had to go through a medical checkup to make sure that she didn’t have any infectious diseases and was healthy enough to work. The young Indonesian never suspected that their reasonably-sounding request was actually just a pretext to get her near an operating table.

Sri Rabitah recalls that things got really weird when she arrived at the hospital – the name of which she cannot remember – on her third day of employment. A doctor told her that she was looking weak, and that he was going to give her an injection to help her relax. “Without permission, I received an injection. How come a medical needed an injection?” Sri told Indonesian newspaper Detik. “The doctor said I was feeling weak, so I was told to relax.”

Dornob | Design Ideas Daily

Dornob | Design Ideas Daily


Q&A with Boltt Wearables Co-Founder Aayushi Kishore

Posted: 28 Feb 2017 11:14 AM PST


Smart technology continues to integrate further and further into every aspect of our daily lives, including fitness and health thanks to programs and devices like fitness tracker apps and wearables. At this year's CES in January, the world was introduced a new contender on the market, Boltt and their line of Advanced Fitness Wearables powered by an AI-enabled mobile app. Read more…

Walyou

Walyou

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8 Beer Brewing Machines For the At-Home Brewer

Posted: 28 Feb 2017 10:55 AM PST

The Beer Machine Model 2000The Beer Machine Model 2000

Enjoying a glass or two of your favorite beer has never been better with these beer dispensers that'll surely make your beer-drinking experience a more exciting treat. Make your parties and weekend get-togethers akin to Oktoberfest with these beer dispensers that are a worthwhile investment.

uKeg 64 Pressurized Growler for Craft Beer

Beer lovers would surely want to enjoy a pint of fresh, cold and carbonated beer wherever they may be. UKeg 64's pressurized growler for craft beer is just want you need. uKeg promises to dispense your beer in the freshest way possible.

Fizzics Waytap Beer Dispenser

Any beer aficionado wouldn't miss tasting expert draft quality beer. With Fizzics Waytap Beer Dispenser, you can revive your beer's freshness straight from the can or bottle to make it taste like freshly brewed. Manufactured with the Fizzics Technology, the Waytap beer dispenser lets beer lovers enjoy the full taste of real draft beer, with enhanced aroma to let you savor only the freshest, full-body flavor.

Stainless SPT BD-0538 Mini Kegerator & Dispenser

Home entertainment has never been as striking as with this Stainless SPT BD-0538 Mini Kegerator & Dispenser countertop beer dispenser. It Chills your beer within 19 to 21 hours and stays at about 32-39 degrees Fahrenheit to give you a perfect drinking experience. Keeps your beer fresh and chilled for up to one month.

Oggi Professional 3-Bottle Revolving Liquor Dispenser

Enjoy your glass of cold beer with that soda fountain experience thanks to Oggi’ s Professional 3-Bottle Revolving Liquor Dispenser. It contains three bottles with an easy-to-push-and-pour action. Its stand is made of durable stainless steel. This liquor dispenser is definitely a nice addition to your home bar!

ActionFly Gun Barware Mini Beer Pourer 

ActionFly Gun Barware Mini Beer Pourer  (Double Gun) is just the right appliance to grab to make your home parties unforgettable. Pour in beer or juice and let this novel and cool dispenser add life to your celebration.

Wyndham House Globe Beverage Dispenser

Your beer party will never be the same with the Wyndham House 65oz Globe Beverage Dispenser. Pour in your beer and it'll dispense a cold drink to put everyone in the right party mood.

BeerTender from Heineken and Krups B90 Home Beer-Tap System

Krups, the global leader in manufacturing novel, small appliances, partners with Heineken, the No. 1 brand of European Premium Imported Beer, to offer beer aficionados with the ultimate beer drinking experience right at the comfort of their home. The BeerTender system fits well with the Heineken DraughtKeg system which takes advantage of the internal carbonator pressure unit to release Co2 as soon as the tap is opened. This guarantees that your beer remains fresh for even up to 30 days, giving you that crisp quality feel that Heineken is known for. This machine is very easy to operate: simply run the keg’s plastic tube to the BeerTender tap and from there you get your fresh, cold glass of beer.

The Beer Machine Model 2000

Make your own, home-brewed beer fast and easy with the Beer Machine Model 2000. This machine makes the traditionally complex process very easy and you still get the same flavor or appearance of usual beer. For only seven days, the Beer Machine 2000 can give you the old-fashioned feel you so want to enjoy from a beer right at home. The Beer Machine Model 2000 is highly customizable, featuring a brand-new precision pressure gauge so it is easier to determine the volume of CO2 gas inside The Beer Machine. That'll give you an idea and the ability to change the amount of carbonation while brewing is going on so you can have control of how you want your beer to taste like. This makes it very convenient for you to enjoy the kind of beer with the beer head that suits your taste. Also you can customize the two extra beer tap handles that come with the model 2000. Display the name of your brew or the Brewmaster.

The Best Gadgets for The Lazy Geek

Posted: 28 Feb 2017 06:54 AM PST

Lazy Gadget Utsubusene Cushion 2Lazy Gadget Utsubusene Cushion 2

There will be those days when we are so struggling to crawl out of bed. If only we can predict when or where our “lazy days” will come, then we should have filed a leave or a happy vacation for that. The great thing about it is that it doesn’t happen every day (well, at least for some). You know what they say–lazy people will find ways to make hard work easier. Let’s be thankful for such laziness that manufacturers and inventors came up with items to make life easier for the lazy ones. Check it out!

Gorone Desk

This is like a lazy pod for your laptop or netbook! Everybody came to that one point when you are working on your laptop or netbook but there is a dire urge for you to just lay down your back against your bed. It is so unbearable that you have to battle between your need to lay down and your need to finish what you are doing. No need to undergo a battle you can’t win! Here’s a perfect solution for everyone who needs to relax a little while working.

Smartphone and Tablet Dual Holder

You know you can never have enough gadgets to keep up with the fast-paced in this modern world that we live in. Seems a little overboard? Not really. Count how many people you know that doesn’t have a tablet, smartphone, and a laptop altogether? Others even have personal computers and other gaming devices on top of that! It seems too sad if you can not monitor or check your gadgets easily, right? You might be thinking of growing an extra arm that. Well with this smartphone and tablet dual holder, you’ll get an extra hand for sure!

Chargeable Flexible Arm Clip Style for Smartphones

In layman’s term, a lazy pod for your phone. You are really missing out a lot if you haven’t gotten one for yourself already. Come on! This is a very useful item– especially if you are doing video calls, timed photo shoot, and watching movies on your phone! Have you tried texting early in the morning, then your “just-awaken” hands are still weak then you end up dropping your smartphone to your face? That’s a preventable scenario (even without the use of this gadget). However, having this at home makes it even better and cooler!

Needing someone or something to lean on? You can at least lean your chin here while you are working or relaxing. This is a cute and sort of funny lazy gadget that you’ll enjoy resting your chin on. Besides, your hands have too much to do anyway, right? Leave your chin in the hands of a reliable friend that will never leave your side!

Utsubusene Cushion 2

This is another wonderful item that you could use while lying down flat or prone. It gives the perfect moment or scene for you to relax and just chill while doing some work or just listening to music or reading your favorite book. This lazy gadget captured the hearts of many adults and kids alike! Try one now and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Conclusion

As what you might have figured out now, using lazy gadgets doesn’t mean that you are just someone who’s like a slob. You know that these items make things easier for you, so why endure the extra trouble of not having it? Using useful items to make your life and work easier is not even considered being lazy nowadays. It is being smart. A hardworking person may succeed in life but a smart worker can make it even bigger!

 

30 Most Expensive Video Games Ever Made

Posted: 27 Feb 2017 02:31 PM PST

Triss WitcherTriss Witcher

 

Video Games are the biggest entertainment industry in the world, so it’s not surprising to find out that some of the biggest video games made along the years were created with the backing of some massive budgets. In the list of the 30 most expensive video games of all-time, we ranked them by their 2017 adjusted for inflation costs. The list includes games from known series like GTA, Call of Duty and Final Fantasy, but also some surprising standalones, and a couple of games that never made it out of development.

Image via: Epic Games

30. Gears of War – Judgment: The 2013 release of the military sci-fi 1st person shooter cost $62 million when adjusted to 2017 inflation numbers. It was the last Gears of War game to be developed by Epic Games before Microsoft bought the franchise. It sold 1 million copies within the first year of release, and was criticized for its lackluster single-player mode.

Image via: Rift

29. Rift: A MMO released in 2011 by Trion Worlds, which cost somewhere between $64 million to $75 million to make when adjusting to 2017 inflation (Somewhere between $60-70 million in “real time). It is still active today, and won a number of awards upon its release six years ago, earning over $100 million by the time 2012 rolled in.

Image via: GT5

28. Gran Turismo 5: Released in 2010 for the PlayStation 3, GT5 cost $66 million to make in 2017 dollars, and around $60 million originally. To this date it is the best selling PS3-exclusive game, with over 10 million copies sold. It was the first Gran Turismo game to include Super GT, NASCAR and World Rally Championship.

Image via: Official Website

27. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon – Future Soldier: A futuristic take on the Ghost Recon franchise that came out in 2012, and cost $65 million at the time, which is $68 million after inflation. There have since been two more games in the Ghost Recon series, Phantoms and Wildlands. The console versions were considered superior to the PC one.

Image via: Official Site

26. Crysis 3: A pretty big failure for EA, Crysis 3 cost $66 million to develop ($68 million adjusted for inflation). Released in 2013, this first person shooter set in the year 2047 sold only 206,000 copies by the first month of release. The most disappointing aspect of the game was its story, and Crytek, who developed the game, focused solely on free-to-play titles after the release.

Image via: Watchdogs

25. Watch Dogs: A highly successful release for Ubisoft back in 2014A, selling over 10 million copies to date and spawning a sequel. However, in terms of critical receptions, Watch Dogs was panned, not that it mattered to those buying the game. It cost $69 million when adjusted for inflation. For many, the third-person shooter in an Open World (Chicago to be exact) environment felt too much like a hacker’s GTA.

Image via: Bungie

24. Halo 3: The 2007 release of Halo cost $60 million to make, which was $69 million when adjusted for inflation. This doesn’t include marketing, which rumors suggest cost around $40 million for Microsoft. The promotion worked, with the game selling over 14 million units to date, making it the best-selling game on the XBox 360 that’s exclusive to the console.

Image via: Final Fantasy 13

23. Final Fantasy XIII: The Square Enix RPG came out in 2010, costing around $65 million to develop, which would be $73 million in today’s money. By 2014, the company announced the game has sold over 11 million units worldwide. Its console versions were highly praised by most outlets, but the PC one received very low marks across the board.

Image via: Gamesport

22. Fable Legends: A massive flop for Microsoft and Lionhead Studios, which shut down after Microsoft announced it won’t be releasing the game. A spin-off to the main series, planned to be a co-op RPG, Legends cost $75 million to develop before the cancellation announcement in 2016.

Image via: Pokemon

21. Pokemon Red/Blue: The first in the main series of Pokemon games, it has to be one of the more influential video games in history, not to mention best selling, both as an RPG and as a GameBoy game. It cost at least $50 in marketing alone, which would put it at $75 million when 2017 inflation adjusted.

Image via: Konami

20. Metal Gear Solid 4 – Guns of the Patriots: Possibly the best game of 2008, MGS4 cost over $70 million to make, which would be $78 million when adjusted for inflation. It is considered by many as one of the most important PS3 games ever (console booster), it made Kojima and Konami very happy, selling over 6 million units.

Image via: mgs5

19. Metal Gear Solid V – The Phantom Pain: Like its predecessor, Metal Gear Solid V has sold over 6 million units, only this game came out in late 2015, costing $81 million to develop when adjusted for inflation. The next story in Snake’s mythology, it was praised for the amount of freedom it gave players when approaching objectives, and the emotional power of its mature themes.

Image via: The Witcher

18. The Witcher 3 – Wild Hunt: CD Projekt RED were cool before Witcher 3, but became huge after it, and deservedly so. One of the best Action role-playing games ever made, it took the work of Andrzej Sapkowski into a whole new stratosphere of popularity through a whole new medium. It has sold around 10 million copies since its 2015 release, costing $82 million to make when adjusted for inflation.

Image via: Trionworlds

17. Defiance: Released in 2013, Defiance is a persistent world MMORPG, which cost $80 million to make, $82 million when adjusted for inflation. It ran alongside the TV show on Syfy until the show’s cancellation. It became a free-to-play game in 2014 and is playable on the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Image via: Youtube

 

16. Enter the Matrix: An incredibly successful game (although not a very good one), the 2003 release was an ambitious effort, which included over one hour of exclusive footage, starring the cast of the film’s trilogy and plot-wise, ran alongside Matrix: Reloaded. It cost $67 million to make at the time, around $87 million when adjusted for inflation.

Image via: Elder Scrolls

15. The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim: Not just a successful game, but almost a cultural phenomenon, as a game released in 2011 is still going strong more than five years later, with mods playing a huge part in its success. According to Bethesda, the game has sold over 30 million copies up to November 16. It cost $85 million to make, which is $90 million when adjusted for inflation.

Image via: Halo Nation

14. Halo MMO: The second Halo game on our list, the MMO is also the second cancelled Microsoft item on our list. There was a beta version tested in Russia, later leaked to the enjoyment of some, but the game was cancelled in 2016. It cost $90 million to make, around $100 million when adjusted for inflation. It is the most expensive game ever not to see the light of day.

Image via: Shenmue

13. Shenmue: A game developed exclusively for Dreamcast, Shenmue is an open world game, the first in a series of four, with the third one coming out in December 2017. The game did sell 1.2 million copies and was mostly praised by critics, but due to its enormous budget ($70 million in 1999, over $101 million in 2017 money), it was considered a massive commercial failure. The new game was only given the green light after a crowdfunding campaign.

Image via: Infinity

12. Disney Infinity:An interesting project by Disney, which is a toys-come-to-life video game, using figurines that synchronized with the game. It was released in 2013, costing $100 million to make, around $103 million when adjusted for inflation. On May 10, 2016, Disney announced on the Disney Interactive website that they were discontinuing production. They sold over 3 million starter packs before cancellation announcement.

Image via: Steam

11. Deadpool: Way before the cool Ryan Reynold movie, there was the Deadpool game by Activision, later seeing the license removed, before the game was re-released to coincide with the film’s release. The game didn’t do very well, received terrible reviews, and cost over $100 million to make heading into its 2013 release, over $104 million in today’s money.

Image via: Rockstar

10. Max Payne 3: Released 9 years after the previous game in the series, Max Payne 3 cost Rockstar $105 million to make (came out in 2012), over $110 million when adjusted for inflation. Receiving raving reviews for its story and action, the game sold over 4 million copies within a year of its release.

Image via: Rockstar

9. Red Dead Redemption: In my opinion, along with Witcher 3, this is the best game ever made. This Open World ode to the Wild West in its dying days, RDD was a massive hit for Rockstar, selling over 15 million copies, and a sequel is scheduled for release in 2017. It cost anywhere between $80 million and $100 million to make, which puts it at $110 million when adjusted for inflation. The game was released in 2010.

Image via: Gamerfirst

8. APB: An open world online game that was developed by Realtime Worlds, later acquired by K2, changing the 2010 release into a free-to-play game, also renaming it to APB: Reloaded. It cost $100 million to make, $110 million when adjusted for inflation. When the game was released it generated plenty of negative buzz due to the review embargo placed.

Image via: Too Human

7. Too Human: This futuristic retelling of Norse mythology was released in 2008 by Microsoft, after years in development hell, originally planned for release in 1999 by Sony. The game sold close to one million copies, but didn’t become the trilogy Silicon Knights were planning for it down the road.

Image via: Rockstar

6. GTA IV: A massive hit for Rockstar, who returned to New York, AKA Liberty City in their 2008 release that cost around $100 million to make at the time, which is about $111 million when adjusted for inflation. The story of Niko Bellic was highly praised almost across the board, broke several sales records at the time, and sold over 25 million units as of the summer of 2013.

Image via: Destiny

5. Destiny: The online-only 1st-person shooter by Bungie won a number of ‘Game of the Year’ awards following its 2014 release, and at its peak had 25 million players. One of two Activision-published games in the top 5, it cost an estimated $140 million to make; $142 million when adjusted for inflation.

Image via: swtor

4. Star Wars – The Old Republic: The most expensive MMORPG on our list, the game was developed by BioWare and published by EA in 2011. It was a pay-only game initially, but turned into free-to-play a year later. It had close to 2 million subscribers at its peak, and its latest expansion pack came out in late 2016. It cost over $200 million to make, adjusted for $213 million in 2017 money.

Image via: Square Enix

3. Final Fantasy VII: The 1997 edition of this epic RPG series, it cost $145 million overall, including $100 million in its massive marketing bill. In today’s money, it is $216 million. As of December 2016, the game has sold over 11 million units. Surprisingly, 1.1 million have come through Steam, considering how late it came to that platform.

Image via: Rockstar

2. GTA V: The latest Grand Theft Auto release by Rockstar. Also its most expensive one, costing $265 million in total (about 50% going to marketing). Released in 2013, it is about $272 million when adjusted for inflation. As for sales, it blew previous Rockstar games out of the water, so far selling over 75 million copies worldwide. The game featured 3 protagonists, and took place in Los Santos, making a return to the California-like city, previously visiting it in San Andreas.

Image via: call of duty

1. Call of Duty – Modern Warfare 2: Activision’s 1st person shooter (developed by Infinity Ward) is the most expensive video game ever made, costing $250 million before its 2009 release, out of it comes a $200 million bill for marketing. In today’s money, that’s a total of $279 million. The game sold 4.7 million units within 24 hours, and as of late 2013, it has shipped over 22.7 million units worldwide.The game received incredible reviews, especially for its console versions.

This Blog Rules

This Blog Rules


Top 5 Best Laptop Brands in the World

Posted: 28 Feb 2017 12:09 AM PST

Whether you buy a car or a computer, brands matter a lot, this is why tech experts around the world are trying every year to assess the best laptop brands available and rank them depending on specific criteria. While some low-rated brands do offer high-quality products and some high-rated ones are known for failing with […]

The post Top 5 Best Laptop Brands in the World appeared first on This Blog Rules | Why go elsewhere?.

Top 5 Coffee Brands All the Experts Adore

Posted: 24 Feb 2017 01:04 AM PST

Starbucks or Lavazza? Nescafe or Don Pablo? Which do you consider to be the best coffee in the world? And, most importantly, do you drink coffee to enjoy an unforgetable taste, texture and flavor experience, or you'd drink just about anything just to get up early every morning? When it comes to ranking the best […]

The post Top 5 Coffee Brands All the Experts Adore appeared first on This Blog Rules | Why go elsewhere?.

7 Places to Visit in New York for an Unforgettable Experience

Posted: 22 Feb 2017 01:59 AM PST

A must see in New York places list contains tens of world-famous landmarks, districts, buildings and outdoor spaces, meaning that a trip to the Big Apple should take the shape of a two-weeks vacation and not a quick city break. All New York tourists should know that they can get their hands on a City […]

The post 7 Places to Visit in New York for an Unforgettable Experience appeared first on This Blog Rules | Why go elsewhere?.

The 5 Most Famous Poems in the History of Literature

Posted: 20 Feb 2017 02:55 AM PST

When it comes to poetry and choosing the most famous poems in the history of literature, we might face the impossible task of bringing to an agreement thousands of critics and literature historians, together with millions of pages dedicated to the subject. However, listing the most famous poems as deemed by some of the most […]

The post The 5 Most Famous Poems in the History of Literature appeared first on This Blog Rules | Why go elsewhere?.

Oddity Central

Oddity Central


Game of Clones – Probably the Weirdest Dating Reality Show Ever

Posted: 27 Feb 2017 01:27 PM PST

Game of Clones is a British dating reality show that has contestants describe the physical attributes of their perfect man/woman in great detail and then choose between several candidates that all look and dress the same. Apparently, the idea this new show is trying to promote is that it’s what’s inside that counts.

When it comes to the physical appearance of their perfect date, everyone has a type. Channel 4’s new dating reality show Game of Clones, gives singletons access the latest avatar building technology to virtually create their perfect partner, down to the tiniest details. Height, hairstyle, hair color, eye color, build, skin pigment, you name it they will enter it in a software and create your perfect partner based on your preferences. Once you’re satisfied with their rendition of your fantasy, Game of Clones will scour the U.K in search of eight people that fit your description and closely resemble each other, dress them all in the exact same clothes and put them all in a house with you for several weeks. With all contestants essentially being doppelgangers, it’s assumed that looks are no longer a criteria for selection, so participants will have to gradually eliminate seven of the eight candidates based on their personalities.

Game-of-Clones

Airline Launches Beer Specifically Formulated to Be Consumed at 35,000 Feet

Posted: 27 Feb 2017 11:29 AM PST

Our senses of taste and smell are diminished at very high altitudes, and airlines apparently take this into consideration when developing their food menus, but until now, no one had tackled this issue when it came to beer. Luckily, one airline has recently announced a beer brewed specifically for consumption at 35,000 feet.

Betsy Beer, a brew formulated with the “ingredients, aroma and necessary carbonation to taste great both in the air and on the ground”, is the brainchild of Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific in collaboration with McCann Worldgroup. It’s named after the company’s first ever airplane, and is produced Hong Kong Beer Co. using UK-sourced hops called ‘fuggle’, honey from Hong Kong, as well as dragon-eye fruit also known as ‘longan’.

Betsy-Beer

The Extraordinary Story of an Italian Peasant Who Taught Himself 100 Ancient Languages

Posted: 27 Feb 2017 10:10 AM PST

86-year-old Riccardo Bertani is an exceptional man. Born to a family of farmers in Caprara, a small settlement in Reggio Emilia, Italy, he abandoned his study right after elementary school and dedicated his life to translating and documenting over 100 extinct and rare languages from all around the world.

“It was castrating, I quit,” Bertani says about his decision to leave school right after completing his elementary studies. “I was interested in other things, and I have to say that only one teacher understood my decision.” Claiming to be “allergic to math”, the young boy started working in the fields, like most of the men in his village, but soon realized he wasn’t much of a farmer, either. That’s when he started focusing more on the things he was most passionate about, reading and learning languages.

Since Riccardo’s father was a member of the Communist party and former mayor of the village, most of the books in his house growing up were Russian tomes. Even though he didn’t understand the language, he was fascinated by them. He started looking up authors like Lev Tolstoy, reading their works in Italian, and then using a Russian grammar book to learn the original language they had been written in. For some reason, he was attracted to Eastern countries like Russia and the Ukraine and for the next 18 years he did nothing but translate whatever books he could find from those countries. And after diving deeper into their culture, he discovered all these different Siberian people, Mongolians, Eskimos, and developed a taste for rare and extinct languages.

Riccardo-Bertani2

Dornob | Design Ideas Daily

Dornob | Design Ideas Daily


Pocket Kitchen: A Craft Kit for Creating Miniature Food

Posted: 27 Feb 2017 02:09 PM PST


Why are we so fascinated by small things? Whether it's the mini toys and figurines we used to act out stories as kids or even the cute, compact houses that are all the rage today, tiny has a lasting appeal. Singapore-based designer Jocelyn Teo expresses her love of the miniature with amazingly detailed, tiny sculptures of food, and while she sells many of her adorable creations on her website, she also wants to spread the art. Read more…

Fertile Grounds: Coffeemaker Reuses Spent Beans to Grow Edible Mushrooms

Posted: 27 Feb 2017 06:00 AM PST


Spent coffee grounds have all sorts of uses around the house and in your beauty routine. Instead of tossing yours in the trash after every pot, you could actually be salvaging them as garden fertilizer, natural pest repellent for your plants, skin exfoliation, and even cellulite treatment. But there's one surprising way to reuse coffee grounds you probably haven't considered: growing your own mushrooms. Read more…

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