Oddity Central

Oddity Central

The Most Remarkable Newspaper in the World Is Written by a Bunch of Indian Street Kids

Posted: 10 Sep 2014 05:54 AM PDT

'Balaknama', or 'Children's Voice', is a quarterly publication that's completely written and run by children living in New Delhi's slums. With a readership in the tens of thousands, the newspaper is being hailed as one of the most impressive in the world.

Backed by the Indian non-profit organisation Chetna, Balaknama publishes contributions from a federation of Indian children who work for a living and live off the street. It started with only 35 child-contributors, but the stories come from various Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh.

Written in Hindi, the paper covers a range of serious subjects that highlight the problems faced by Indian street children. A typical issue would contain articles related to topics like police brutality, child marriage, and illegal child labor. It's not what you'd expect from a children's newspaper, but Balaknama is known for reporting hard truths and harsh realities.

Balaknama-newspaper

New Mesmerizing Quilled Artworks by Yulia Brodskaya

Posted: 10 Sep 2014 05:38 AM PDT

Through her work, artist and illustrator Yulia Brodskaya demonstrates that you don't need complicated tools or expensive materials to create brilliant art. She works with simple materials used in everyday life – paper and glue. Using a technique known as quilling, she weaves multi-colored strips of paper into breathtaking three-dimensional patterns.

Yulia, who started her career as a graphic designer and illustrator in 2006, quickly abandoned computer programs to work with paper. "I believe that one of the main reasons I enjoy the paper craft, is due to my love of the material: paper," she explained.

"I've always had a special fascination for paper, it has taken me a while to find my own way of working with it. Now I draw with paper instead of on it. And then it took a little longer to find out that the technique I have been using so intensively is called quilling – it involves the use of strips of paper that can be rolled, shaped, and glued to the background."

yulia-brodskaya

Chinese Men Are Paying Virtual Girlfriends to Listen to Them Complain about Work

Posted: 10 Sep 2014 03:36 AM PDT

They say money can't buy happiness, but it sure can buy empathy in China. Lonely businessmen are actually paying women up to $5 a day, just for a few kind words and a bit of understanding. A similar service is available for women as well.

Many young men and women are making quick money by offering the service through Taobao – China's leading e-commerce website. They call themselves 'virtual girlfriends/boyfriends', and they're willing to listen to their clients complaining about a tough day at work.

Male clients have a range of virtual girlfriend personalities to choose from, including 'doll-like girls', 'mature women', and 'the girl next door'. For women, the choices include 'men in uniform', 'CEO', 'handsome men' and 'comforting men'.

virtual-girlfriend2

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