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Oddity Central

Edible Deodorant Tastes Sweet, Makes You Smell Like Roses
WOW Orc Assassin Wins Seat in State Senate
Artist Recreates LOTR Bag End with 2,600 Balloons

Edible Deodorant Tastes Sweet, Makes You Smell Like Roses

Posted: 08 Nov 2012 08:53 AM PST

Did you ever think there would come a day when the sweets you eat actually make you smell sweet as well? Well, my friends, that day is today! Introducing Deo Perfume Candy, the edible deodorant that makes you smell like fresh roses from a stunningly beautiful valley in Bulgaria.

Actually, the concept has been around for some time, but food company Beneo is finally introducing it on the US market, in the form of Deo Perfume Candy. Humans have known about the connection between what we eat and what we smell like for a while, but it was a group of Japanese researchers who discovered that eating geraniol makes people smell sweet. There was even a chewing gum called Otoko Kaoru (“man scent”) launched years ago, but it didn’t really catch on and it was soon discontinued. Now Beneo has teamed up with Bulgarian confectioner Alpi to create Deo, a special candy that will apparently turn you into a walking air-freshener for up to six hours. “Geraniol is a natural antioxidant and its fragrance, once consumed as a candy, leaves the body through its pores, creating a naturally sweet smell that can last for hours,” a press release on Beneo’s website explains. The company recommends one serving size for a person weighing 145 pounds.

Photo: NewHope360

Deo Perfume Candy has been available for sale in the US since August, but only online. The sugar-free treats are supposed to carry the relaxing fragrance of wild roses from a beautiful Bulgarian valley, tucked away between two mountain ranges. The scent from this so-called “valley of roses” is carried by the wind and stirs the senses of locals, who have begun using the flowers to make all kinds of products, from rose oil to perfumes, jams and more. Now you can have this godly scent oozing from your pores just by popping a few of these perfume sweets. And according to BENEO Area Sales Manager, Wim Dries, although Deo works pretty much the same way as garlic, it’s the perfect antidote to the fowl-smelling spice: "Many people like garlic, and it's especially popular in European diets, but the tell-tale smell lingers for some time after a meal. Deo is the perfect antidote."

Photo: Foodstuff Finds

Deo Perfume Candy is currently priced at $10 per bag, considerably more expensive than traditional deodorants, but you can’t really eat Old Spice, can you? Sales in US are already going great, and when Deo finally hits retailer shelves, we may witness a body odor renaissance. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, as a wave of other such nutricosmetics is expected to hit the market in the next few years. Swallowable Parfum, an ingestible fragrance that’s supposed to release a unique pleasant scent through perspiration, is one such product, and developers say it could be market-ready in three to five years.

via Guardian.co.uk

Edible Deodorant Tastes Sweet, Makes You Smell Like Roses was originally posted at OddityCentral.com

WOW Orc Assassin Wins Seat in State Senate

Posted: 08 Nov 2012 04:04 AM PST

“So I'm a level 68 orc rogue girl. That means I stab things…a lot! Who would have thought that a peace-lovin’, social worker and democrat would enjoy that?!” This was the statement that won World of Warcraft gamer Colleen Lachowicz a seat in Maine’s State Senate.

Democrat Colleen Lachowicz has recently won a seat representing Maine’s Senate District 25, and believe it or not, her Republican adversaries helped her to it. It just so happens that Colleen is an avid gamer who spends a lot of time playing the incredibly popular online multiplayer video-game World of Warcraft. In this fantasy universe she is known as Santiaga, a level 85 orc rogue assassin, who as the player herself admits, spends a lot of time stabbing things. Little did she know that her gaming antics would actually help her win a seat in the State Senate. Apparently, her Republican Party rivals thought it would be a good idea to set up a website portraying Lachowicz as someone with a “bizarre double life”, and making her look like a violent person by describing her in-game behavior. This uninspired smear campaign actually won Lachowicz international support from the gaming community and eventually helped her won the race for the Senate.

You could say Colleen Lachowicz made gaming history with her victory. As Fruzsina Eördögh, from ReadWrite, points out “Gamers can be doctors, lawyers, and now, even state senators.” On her site, Colleen points out that nowadays over 65% of American homes house a gamer, and the average age for a video-game enthusiast is now 34, so questioning if a candidate is fit for office just because they’re playing video games in their spare time is the same as complaining about someone listening to “that loud rock and roll music”. ”In my work, I’ve spoken with many people who in their regular lives have roles of significant responsibility (as doctors, managers, or educators) but who choose carefully with whom they disclose their gaming activity,” gaming researcher Ladan Cockshut told the BBC. “And disclosing their gaming activity is often accompanied by a degree of apology or embarrassment.”

Taking forum posts Lachowicz made on various World of Warcraft fan sites, Republicans questioned her maturity and ability to make rational decisions for the people of Senate District 25, as if someone’s actions in a video game can be used to characterize their real life. Luckily, the whole thing backfired and Santiaga gained even more support from fellow gamers, who actually donated money for her campaign. "It just really goes to show that I think those of us who do play games are eager for it not to be stereotyped anymore," Colleen said about all the help she got from the gaming community.

WOW Orc Assassin Wins Seat in State Senate was originally posted at OddityCentral.com

Artist Recreates LOTR Bag End with 2,600 Balloons

Posted: 08 Nov 2012 02:50 AM PST

If you think balloon animals are cool, this inflated replica of the Baggins family residence, from the Lord of the Rings, will probably blow you away. Famous balloon artist Jeremy Telford recently spent 40 hours recreating Bag End from 2,600 balloons.

We’ve featured some pretty cool balloon-made stuff here on Oddity Central, from balloon costumes, to life-size dinosaurs and even giant spiders, so this latest creation by Jeremy Telford is in good company. The talented artist from Pleasant Grove, Utah spent a whole weekend twisting balloons and tying them together, ultimately transforming his living room into a unique replica of Bag End, the famous Bagging residence, featured in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Sure it’s not as accurate as the one depicted in Peter Jackson’s movies, but I’d like to see anyone do a better job, using only balloons. Paying great attention to details, Telford created the actual Hobbiton smial, as well as interior accessories like the small candle chandelier, a cozy fireplace and all the furniture described by Tolkien in his books. In a comment left on The One Ring community website, Jeremy said: “I planned it out a little bit. I googled 18th English furniture styles to give me a platform to jump from. I read the Hobbit again (not a chore!) to gleen what I could of the description of Bag End. Then I did some initial sketches before starting the big build.”

And because simple photos just wouldn’t do this inflatable masterpiece justice, Jeremy Telford posted a time-lapse video of the 40-hour process. Check it out and prepare to be amazed by the talent and patience of this true LOTR fan. Make sure you watch the whole thing, or you’ll be missing out on the cutest demolition crew ever. For more fantastic balloon creations by Telford and other talented artists, check out Balloon Guy Entertainment.