3d illusion arts: Oddity Central

Oddity Central

Gold-Obsessed Man Shows Off Solid Gold Shirt, Takes Pimping to a Whole New Level
Ghost Money – Currency of the Afterlife
California Water Tower Is Actually a Beautiful 3-Storey House

Gold-Obsessed Man Shows Off Solid Gold Shirt, Takes Pimping to a Whole New Level

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 03:10 AM PST

Datta Phuge, a chit fund businessman from Pimpri, India, refers to himself as “The Gold Man of Pimpri” and in order to live up to this image, he has recently commissioned a 22-karat gold shirt weighing 3.2 kilograms that’s bound to make some Western rappers green with envy.

According to India Today, gold-obsessed businessmen and politicians are nothing new in India. Not long ago, a man by the name of Ramesh Wanjale was spotted wearing 2 kilos of gold, then NCP functionary Samrat Moze wore 8.5 kilograms of gold in the form of jewelry and ornaments, but chit fund Datta Phuge found a way to one-up them both. He had a team of 15 goldsmiths working 18 hours a day for over 15 days in order to finish a 3.5 kg woven gold shirt. ”The gold shirt has been one of my dreams,” Mr Phuge told Indian newspaper the Pune Mirror. “It will be an embellishment to my reputation as the ‘Gold man of Pimpri'”, Phuge said. His extravagant garment consists of 14,000 gold flowerrings, interwoven with one lakh spangles. It was assembled on a fabric base of imported white velvet, and comes with six Swarovski crystal buttons and an intricate belt, also made of gold.

Photo: Facebook

The Gold Man of Pimpri says his shirt is an investment. ”People buy cars or go on holidays abroad. For me, gold is the ultimate passion,” he told Indian reporters. “That is the reason I have spent a whopping amount of money on the shirt. I am looking at it as an investment which will keep appreciating.” Phuge, who owned about 10 kilograms of gold, also has 5-kilograms of accessories to go with his glittering clothes – about 10 gold chains (including three chains of 70 tolas or 700 grams each), six bracelets and 25 rings. All the gold on his body adds up to about 10 kilograms.

Photo: TopNews

And if you’re wondering about Datta Phuge’s security, know that he’s not worried at all. "I have my own security system in place. I always move around with bodyguards," he told the press.

Gold-Obsessed Man Shows Off Solid Gold Shirt, Takes Pimping to a Whole New Level was originally posted at OddityCentral.com

Ghost Money – Currency of the Afterlife

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 12:08 AM PST

If there is indeed such a thing as afterlife, the Chinese and Vietnamese might just be the richest people there. And that's because their living relatives make sure they are well provided for – by throwing money into flames. Well, not real money. Only fake notes. This fake money is commonly known as ghost money, “Joss paper” and as 'pinyin' (literally 'shade' or 'dark' money) in Chinese. The ghost money, along with other papier-mâché items (usually expensive stuff) are burned as a part of Chinese tradition – on holidays to venerate the deceased, and also at funerals, to make sure that the spirits have plenty of good things in the afterlife.

Traditionally, Joss paper is made from coarse bamboo paper or rice paper. The Joss is cut into squares or rectangles and has a thin piece of square foil glued in the center. Sometimes, it is even endorsed with a traditional Chinese red ink seal depending on the particular region. The paper is generally of a white color (symbolizing mourning) and the foil is either silver or gold (representing wealth), hence the name, ghost money. The three types of ghost money are copper (for newly deceased spirits and spirits of the unknown), gold (for the deceased and the higher gods), and silver (for ancestral spirits and local deities). Sometimes Joss paper is completely gold, engraved with towers or ingots. The burning of joss paper is not done casually, but with a certain reverence, placed respectfully in a loose bundle. Some other customs involve folding each sheet in a specific manner before burning. The burning is mostly done in an earthenware pot or a chimney built specifically for this purpose.

Photo: Wunkai

Contemporary forms of joss money are rather different; they look more like the money from current times. Westernized varieties include copies of Bank notes (Chinese Yuan, Thai Baht, Vietnamese Dong, or even the US Dollar), cheques and paper credit cards. Some people even go as far as offering papier-mâché houses, cars, toilets, servants, passports, flight tickets, rice cookers and even flat-screen TVs. Any object that can carry a brand will be branded with the most extravagant options. No luxuries are denied to the deceased. The bank notes are specifically meant for dead ancestors to give as a tribute to the God of Death for a short stay or to escape punishment. The bank note copies are often of outrageous denominations – they can range anywhere between $10,000 and $5,000,000,000. These notes carry an image of the 'Bank of Hell' on the back and the Jade Emperor on the front.

Photo: Kevin Felt

The practice of burning spirit or ghost money is quite deep-rooted in Asian culture. According to archeological evidence, the tradition can be traced back to 1000 BC. Even back then, imitations of what could only be considered money were left within tombs. Clay imitations of gold plaques were found, along with stone imitations of lead and bronze money. The Chinese believe that all those who die, automatically gain entry into the underworld of Diyu. They are judged there, before being sent to heaven, the underworld, or for reincarnation. 'Hell' in itself is not viewed as a place of torture, but a more neutral realm. The paper money is believed to be deposited in an afterlife bank of sorts, from which the deceased spirits can make withdrawals. The ritual is said to be derived from a mix of regional folklore and Taoism. The practice of ancestor worship is largely religious, stemming from the fact that the spirits of the deceased are still interested in the affairs of the world. Keeping them happy brings blessings from them for the living. Another explanation for the concept is that the living are allowed to ask spirits to fulfill their wishes, for which they are indebted. This debt cannot be entirely cleared off while alive, so the ghost money sent after death is used to repay whatever they owe the spirits. Buddhists, however, discourage the practice of burning joss paper, saying that the deceased would have no interest over worldly items, and that it is also not too great for the environment.

Ghost Money – Currency of the Afterlife was originally posted at OddityCentral.com

California Water Tower Is Actually a Beautiful 3-Storey House

Posted: 03 Jan 2013 11:43 PM PST

If you look at the structure located at 1 Anderson Street, Seal Beach, California, you can see nothing but an ordinary water tower. But after a closer inspection you'll realize it's not filled with water, but common household items. It was several years ago, when the 100-year-old 9-storeys-tall water tower with a capacity of 75,000 gallons had outlived its purpose and was going to be torn down that a few local architects began taking interest in the structure. The tower was originally used to service steam engines traveling on the California coast. After the trains stopped running, the water tower was rendered useless. It was in danger of being demolished in the 1980s, when the architects stepped in, got permits and converted the tower into a beautiful home.

The process of converting a century-old structure into a home was no easy feat. First, the original water tank had to be removed and placed in a parking lot. After 18 months of renovation, a skilled team of engineers worked together to lift it up and put it back in its original place. A commercial elevator and two jacuzzis were added as the final touches to the 3000 sq ft. house. One of the jacuzzi tubs is actually on the upper deck and provides a view of the ocean. Almost every window in the house is fitted with stained glass. There are also two master bedrooms, a maid's quarters, and four bathrooms. One of the bathrooms has rotating walls, so you could enter in the bedroom and come out from the hallway. The entertainment room has a 360 degree view, a built-in movie theatre, electric blinds and an indoor fire pit. From one direction you get to see the Pacific Ocean and the Catalina Island, and from another you get a view of the Newport Beach, Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro and San Bernardino Mountains. On a clear day, you can even get a glimpse of Los Angeles.

Photo: Walter C

Jerry Wallace, the current owner of the water tower home, is a real estate trader and former fire chief. He bought the house for $800,000 in 1995 and calls it the 'ultimate beach house'. "You have a house that's actually fun to live in and I think the entertainment value of living in a fun house is worth it," he says. There are a few disadvantages of living in the water house though, for all the luxuries it provides. One, the climb up to the tower is pretty long and you have no choice on days when you aren't feeling up to it and the elevator is broken. Bringing in new furniture all the way up is a pain as well. But Wallace isn't complaining, especially because he gets to use his favorite room – the entertainment room – as much as he wants to. "I plan on staying here as long as it's fun to," he says.