Oddity Central |
- Eco-Otome – Japan’s Solution to Embarrassing Toilet Noise
- At The Generous Store Chocolates Cost Good Deeds Instead of Money
- Controversial Cinnamon Challenge Becomes Internet Hit
- Indian Man Bathes with Boiling Milk Once a Year
| Eco-Otome – Japan’s Solution to Embarrassing Toilet Noise Posted: 30 Mar 2012 04:13 AM PDT
The Eco-Otome is a Japanese gizmo that’s intended to make using restrooms other than your own less awkward. Basically it emits a soothing sound meant to cover any embarrassing toilet noises you might be making. Ok, so this isn’t a very new invention, in fact it’s been around for around three years, but I thought it was worth a mention for its unique purpose. I mean leave it to the Japanese to come up with a technological solution to the problem of bathroom noises. Anyway, whether they’re sharing a bathroom with a roommate, or need to use the restroom at a party or at work, some people are always worried about a variety of bathroom noises that could put them in an embarrassing position if they’re heard by others. Sure, flushing helps, but you need to wait until the water bowl is full until using it again, so it’s not full-proof. Luckily, the resourceful Japanese have come up with the perfect solution – introducing the Eco-Otome. The Eco-Otome Toiket Sound Blocker is a tiny little device that can be worn on a keychain or as a cellphone accessory, and that can solve your bathroom noise problems at the push of a button. Well, technically you need t push its button twice to activate flushing sounds that last for 25 seconds. If that’s not enough, you can just repeat the simple operation after the 25 seconds are up. Or, if you take care of business quickly, you can just push the button again twice, to make it stop. Judging by one specific design of the Eco-Otome, it’s always designed as a clever way to save water by reducing the number of flushes. Apart from the “Save the Earth” model, the little gadget also comes in pink and light blue, which suggests it was designed with women in mind, although I bet there are quite a few shy guys out there who would love one of these things. Well, you can get them at the Japan Trend Shop, for $31. Eco-Otome – Japan’s Solution to Embarrassing Toilet Noise was originally posted at OddityCentral.com  |
| At The Generous Store Chocolates Cost Good Deeds Instead of Money Posted: 30 Mar 2012 03:30 AM PDT
If Charlie Bucket could win Willy Wonka's entire chocolate factory for a good deed, why can't we be awarded with at least a box of chocolates, right? Turns out we can! At The Anthon Berg Generous Store money is of no use, because all it takes to get some delicious chocolate is the promise of a good deed. The pop-up chocolate store, located in the center of Copenhagen, opened its doors to the public last month. Inside, the boxes of candy are marked with unique price tags: 'Don't comment on your girlfriend's driving for a week', 'Serve breakfast in bed to your loved one' and 'No talking behind your girlfriend's back for a month'. The most popular of them all is 'Help clean a friend's house'. Hardly anyone touches the box that says 'A week where you don't lie to your father'. Instead of cash registers, people have to pay at iPad stations. Logging into their Facebook accounts, they've got to post the promise of the good deed on the walls of both the giver and receiver of the deeds. This way, the peer pressure will ensure they 'pay up' on time. So far, almost everyone who purchased the candy has kept up their promise, even posting pictures as evidence on Anthon Berg's Facebook Page. Anthon Berg is a popular worldwide brand of chocolate that's been around for over 125 years. The Generous Store Project is an initiative they've taken up in partnership with an advertising agency. Their aim is to "reconnect their brand with generosity and inspire people to see the positive effects of being generous." "You can never be too generous," the company declares, and they sure are living up to it by giving away all that chocolate. How I wish I could be in Denmark right now!
At The Generous Store Chocolates Cost Good Deeds Instead of Money was originally posted at OddityCentral.com  |
| Controversial Cinnamon Challenge Becomes Internet Hit Posted: 30 Mar 2012 03:09 AM PDT
It's things like the Cinnamon Challenge that strengthen my belief that people will do the dumbest things if they think it’s cool. Because who in their right mind would want to stuff their face with a tablespoon full of cinnamon just for fun? The answer – thousands. And would you believe the Governor of Illinois is one of them? Yep, Gov. Pat Quinn took in a spoonful of that stuff on air, in response to a challenge. He followed his act with the words, "The will of the people. The law of the land." I don't know about you, but I’d think twice before giving him my vote. Right now, there are over 30,000 videos on YouTube tagged 'Cinnamon Challenge'. The most popular ones have millions of views. The Cinnamon Challenge is basically a dare to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon in powdered form, without water. It's the latest rage and it has gone beyond viral. The challenge itself has been around for years, but the sudden spike in its popularity remains unexplained. It seems like a simple thing to do; just swallow the stuff and be done with it. In reality, however, it isn't all that easy. The problem with cinnamon is that it does not break down easily. So the chances of it getting stuck in the throat are pretty high, causing gagging and even vomiting. Doctors have said that this could be very dangerous, because cinnamon can also prevent air from entering the lungs, which could lead to lung inflammation. Photo: artizone Schools all over the US are warning parents and teachers about the dangers of swallowing cinnamon. But what are kids to do when adult 'role-models' are swarming all over the place. There are others like the Illinois Governor who won't think twice before doing silly things like this. One of the Cinnamon Challenge videos belongs to Washington Wizards players – Nick Young and JaVale McGee. The video was rebroadcast on popular ABC show Good Morning America. It's no wonder that kids get inspired to do the same. A school in Pottstown, Pa., has had three incidents of students taking the cinnamon challenge since January. Students have been caught smuggling vials of cinnamon into school in their boots.
The challenge is certainly outrageous, but I have to admit it’s also mildly entertaining. I watched this one video of YouTube comedian Glozell who used a super-size spoon of cinnamon, and I thought her experience was pretty funny, but that doesn't make up for the fact that it's a pretty stupid thing to do.
Controversial Cinnamon Challenge Becomes Internet Hit was originally posted at OddityCentral.com  |
| Indian Man Bathes with Boiling Milk Once a Year Posted: 30 Mar 2012 02:37 AM PDT
India is a land of ancient culture, with practices that date back thousands of years. It is hard to trace the origins of any particular ritual, let alone remember the significance behind them. With no logical explanation available, several Indian practices seem superstitious and sometimes even a tad foolish. However, this does not deter the people of India from participating in religious and cultural celebrations with gusto. One such example is the festival of the nine evenings, Navaratri (Nava=9, Ratri=Evening), celebrated every year in the month of October. Dedicated to different versions of the Goddess, all 9 days are filled with festivities, good food, music, dance and religious ceremonies across the country. Living in India, watching the Navaratri for me is a part of normal life. But then I heard about this man who is certainly unusual, even for Indian standards. Every year, during Navaratri, he bathes with pots of boiling milk. And he comes out of the experience, unscathed. The holy city of Varanasi is home to the 80-year-old man with an iron hide. The famous Durga temple of Varanasi, where he is a priest, sets the scene for his yearly ritual. On the first day of Navaratri, all the townsfolk gather at the temple to watch him perform the unbelievable. Nine earthen pots are decorated especially for the occasion, filled with milk, and placed on primitive stone furnaces. Once the milk boils, the priest pours one pot after another over his head and all over his body. The ease with which he carries out the activity makes it all the more incredible. In the end, there isn't so much as a scar on his skin. While there can be almost no medical explanation as to how he escapes burn injuries, the people of Varanasi believe it to be a blessing and a miracle performed by the Goddess Durga herself. Because not only does he bathe with the boiling milk, he later makes offerings of Puris (a deep fried flat bread) to the Deity by taking them right out of the hot oil with his bare hands. Again, the priest is unharmed. "It is the blessing of the Goddess that doesn't allow me to burn. People may call it superstition, but when the Goddess challenges my faith, I must respond," says the old priest. He may be right, after all, they do say that faith can move mountains. via Yahoo India Indian Man Bathes with Boiling Milk Once a Year was originally posted at OddityCentral.com  |
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