Oddity Central

Oddity Central

Man Says He Has Survived on Pizza Alone for 25 Years

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 03:00 AM PST

They say junk food can kill you. But then you get to hear stories of people who eat nothing else and are doing just fine. Like this one guy who has been eating pizza exclusively for the past 25 years. Dan, a 38-year-old woodworker from Maryland, hates veggies so much that he won't even use them as pizza toppings. The only spice he can tolerate on his pizza is oregano.

"I'm not just talking about a slice of pizza every day," he said in an interview. "I usually eat an entire 14" pizza, and I only eat cheese pizza. I never get sick of it. If I go to one pizza shop or another brand, it's like eating a completely different meal." Dan made his bizarre food choice when he was just 15 years old. That's when he decided to go vegetarian for 'ethical reasons'. "I still loved the taste of meat, and I still love it to this day, but due to my beliefs, I gave it up. That was about 23 years ago. I also hate vegetables."

My guess is that Dan's body can metabolize food like crazy. How else can a person eat just pizza (essentially bread and cheese) for years and still stay so slim? But Dan's weight is no indicator of his health. The man suffers from diabetes and his blood sugar drops quite frequently. It gets so bad at times that he blacks out on the kitchen floor in his underwear. One time, he blacked out while driving his new car home.

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Italian Architect Builds Fantastic Airships That Actually Fly

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 02:00 AM PST

Luigi Prina might be 83 years old, but he still has the imagination of a child. The Italian architect's studio is filled with miniature flying ships of all shapes and sizes, suspended from the ceiling with nylon strings. And here's the special part – some of the ships really do fly. When Luigi twists the propeller and lets the toys go, they whizz around the room in loops and circles.

Luigi has been obsessed with ships ever since he can remember. He began building model ships at a very young age. When he was 16, he won a national aircraft modeling competition. The judges were particularly impressed by his superior craftsmanship – and also his age. "When I went to collect my prize, they asked me: 'Why didn't your father come to collect his prize?' 'What do you mean my father, I am Luigi Prina!' They were quite upset by this," said Luigi.

But it wasn't until 50 years had passed that Luigi was inspired to make his model ships fly. "I met Eugenio Tomiolo, a Venetian painter and boat builder," he said. "And then I said to him: 'Do you want to bet that I can make the boats fly for you?' And I made the first boat. I made it fly in his studio. He had painted his ceiling like a sky with clouds. When the ship began to go around the ceiling it seemed as if the clouds were moving."

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Japanese Attend Crying Seminars to Improve Physical and Mental Health

Posted: 28 Feb 2014 01:00 AM PST

I've heard of laughter therapy for relieving stress, but I didn't know the reverse existed as well. In Japan, people gather in groups to let the boo-hoos out. These 'crying seminars' are conducted by Takashi Saga, who calls himself a 'tears sommelier'. "Selecting wines that matches food is similar to my job," he said. "I introduce books, movies and videos that touch the people's emotion."

"Crying doesn't have a good image in Japan," Saga added. "People believe you should not cry in front of people, that it's weak." So twice a month, Saga organizes a 'ruikatsu' – a crying for joy seminar. When people get emotional and cry, he believes that life's burdens, tensions and frustrations melt away. "Laughing can only release stress at that moment. But studies show the stress release from crying lasts for a week. Crying is better for your physical and mental health."

It turns out that Saga might actually be right. Some scientific studies have proven that when we cry for emotional reasons, our tears contain the same kind of hormones released by the body during physical stress. Most people start his sessions with a poker face and a 'try and make me' kind of attitude. But the activities that Saga plans for his class always ensure that no one leaves dry-eyed.

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