Oddity Central |
- Stunning Portraits Made with a Single Sewing Thread Wrapped through Nails
- It’s About Time! New York Hosts First World Burping Championship
- Experience Life as an Illegal Alien at Mexico’s Border-Crossing Theme Park
| Stunning Portraits Made with a Single Sewing Thread Wrapped through Nails Posted: 13 Jun 2012 03:58 AM PDT
Japanese artist Kumi Yamashita creates mind-boggling portraits by wrapping a single UNBROKEN black thread around galvanized nails, on a clear white board. In the four years since I started Oddity Central, I’ve had the opportunity of discovering many great artists. Most of their works are nothing short of impressive, but there are a few whose artistic genius is simply breathtaking. Kumi Yamashita is definitely one of those few. The Japanese artist living in New York City uses all kinds of common objects to create arresting images, in her quest of exploring art beyond the confines of traditional media. Perhaps her most impressive technique is creating portraits by using a single thread weaved around a series of nails, on a white background. We’ve seen portraits created with thread and nails before, but nothing quite like what Yamashita can do. It seems pretty unbelievable looking at the detail of her portraits, but Kumi Yamashita creates every on eof them by weaving that single thread around the galvanized nails until she gets the desired effect. Even the darker areas, like the pupils of the subjects’ eyes are the result of repeated weaving to create density. It’s simply one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen.
Photos copyright of Kumi Yamashita via This Is Colossal Stunning Portraits Made with a Single Sewing Thread Wrapped through Nails was originally posted at OddityCentral.com  |
| It’s About Time! New York Hosts First World Burping Championship Posted: 13 Jun 2012 03:16 AM PDT
Most civilized countries have long considered burping one of the most embarrassing things a person can do in public. Now, the World Burping Federation, in Geneva, is trying to change people’s opinion, and their first attempt was the first edition of the Burping Championship. Held in New York City, this first annual World Burping Championship had competitors guzzling down gallons of soda in order to produce the longest burp possible. The five contestants chosen to take part in this unusual event weren’t just regular beer-guzzlers who like to let loose a few burps every once in a while. They were all competitive eaters with Major League Eating which meant the whole contest a lot more interesting. Unlike regular burpers, these guys could fill their bellies with gallons of carbonated drinks, making them more qualified to produce a burp worthy of the record books. Everyone present at Hudson Station, at 440 Ninth Avenue, probably had their money on 400-pound-heavy Eric “Badlands” Booker, but the famous competitive eater could barely let out a belch longer than a few seconds, despite drinking two gallons of soda just before the event. It was actually 35-year-old Tim “Eater X” Janus who took home the title of World Burping Champion, after producing an impressive 18.1-seconds-long burp, after guzzling down 2 gallons of Mountain Dew and Diet Coke. ”I was just trying to condense all the air in my stomach and bring it to the surface,” said the 165-pound Janus. “You just have to force every last bit of air up. It’s beautiful, really.”
Contestants tried turning themselves into human bottles, by drinking as much soda and possible and shaking themselves around hoping to produce a more powerful burp, but in the end, no one could beat Eater X’s performance. The contest was organized by the World Burping Federation, an obscure body that’s trying to eliminate the embarrassment associated with burping in public. ”The World Burping Federation is here to dispel the stigma of an essential, and some would say necessary function,” said emcee Dave Keating. ”We’re here to say that after a fantastic meal that one should be able to burp with enthusiasm and intensity — and be rewarded for that.”
Although this was announced as the first World Burping Championship, I’ve found another video of a World Burping Champion Paul Hunn, known for his extremely loud burps. This guys is able to let out belches louder than a car horn and almost as loud as a thunder clap. Check him out in the video below:
DNA Info via Nothing to Do with Arbroath It’s About Time! New York Hosts First World Burping Championship was originally posted at OddityCentral.com  |
| Experience Life as an Illegal Alien at Mexico’s Border-Crossing Theme Park Posted: 13 Jun 2012 02:01 AM PDT
Ever wondered what Mexican emigrants go through trying to illegally cross the border into the United States? Well, now you have the opportunity to experience it for yourself at Eco Alberto, an Illegal Border Crossing Theme Park. Located 100 kilometers from the US border, and about two hours away from Mexico City, the small town of El Alberto has become one of Mexico’s most popular tourist attractions. Seven years ago, 90% of the local population had crossed over into the US in search of the American Dream, and the small settlement had become a modern ghost town. Life was simply too hard in El Alberto and almost everyone decided to try their luck across the border. But that all changed when the Eco Alberto Park was inaugurated in the vicinity of the small Mexican town. Now, El Alberto has a population of around 3,000 and draws in thousands of tourists every year, all eager to experience the unique activity that put this place on the map. Photo: Sequential-One The Eco Alberto Park doesn’t have any impressive roller-coasters, carousels or themed rides, like Disneyland, but it does offer an activity you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Called “Caminata Nocturna” (Night Walk), this unique experience simulates what it’s like for illegal emigrants trying to cross the border into the United States through rough terrain and with the border patrol always on their tail. Although the name might be a little confusing, it’s no walk in the park, and even though participants are safe from extreme danger, this course gives them an authentic experience of fear, joy and the hope of a better life. Putting yourself in the shoes of an illegal alien will set you back 250 pesos ($20), but it’s an experience you will never forget. Photo: Sequential-One The Night Walk illegal border crossing is split into several stages. First, there’s roll call, after which the would-be emigrants are packed in the back of pick-up trucks and taken to the starting point, where they are given an explanation of what they are about to go through. A “coyote” (people smuggler) tells them they will be facing rough conditions, spiders, snakes, poisonous plants and the vigilant border patrol, but that it’s not even 5% of what a real migrant has to go through to reach his goal. He also informs them that the whole Caminata Nocturna was created as a way to show people a part of Mexico that exists but no one wants to see, and as a way to honor all those brave migrants who tried to cross the border for real. When the coyote finishes his speech, the real fun begins. Photo: Sequential-One The Eco Alberto Theme Park spreads over seven miles of rough terrain, which the Mexican migrants have to cross by pick-up and by foot in order to reach their destination. The coyote is always by their side, guiding their every move and instructing them on how to remain undetected. They have to crawl through tunnels, mud and small canyons, while avoiding snakes and other dangerous wildlife and keeping an eye out for the US border patrol.
The park has a staff of 82 who do their best to offer tourists a realistic experience, and for the most part they do a pretty good job. Members of “La Migra”, or the US border patrol, have a particularly important role in the Night Walk experience, so they try to act the same way and say everything the real authorities do. Their Mexican accent makes them less believable, but you can tell they’re trying their best. La Migra tries to convince emigrants to come out, and when they catch some of them they even rough them up a bit to make it look real.
The State Government of Hidalgo has accused the Eco Alberto Park of making fun of emigrants and even of training Mexicans so they can cross the border into America for real, but the parks’ representatives say that since they started organizing the Night Walk activity, in the summer of 2004, 60% of the local population preferred to remain home, instead of putting their lives in danger and being exploited in the US. They claim they are trying to train people not to leave, but to stay in Mexico and work harder for a better life.
Experience Life as an Illegal Alien at Mexico’s Border-Crossing Theme Park was originally posted at OddityCentral.com  |
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