Posts Tagged ‘Asia’

China’s Kingdom Of The Dwarves

November 16th, 2009 Spooky

Over 100 height-challenged Chinese people perform in a show called Kingdom Of The Dwarves, close to Kunming, Yunnan Province.

Casting for the Kingdom Of The Dwarves show took place last summer, with only two conditions stipulated: the performers had to be between 18 and 40 years old and be shorter than 130 cm (4′3″). No other special skills were required. Now they take the stage of the Kunming World Butterflies Garden twice a day, singing, dancing and performing comedy sketches to entertain the crowds.

I know it looks like exploitation and discrimination, but the short performers see it only as another form of migrant labor and a haven away from people who mock and tease them on a daily basis. With discrimination and unemployment still high in China, the little people saw the Kingdom Of The Dwarves as an opportunity.

Just to clear things up, this is just a profitable theme park, not a community formed by the dwarves themselves as a shelter, and the mushroom houses only serve as decor and changing rooms, not as living quarters.

Photos by REUTERS

via Telegraph.co.uk

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Love Supermarket Offers Singles A Chance at Love

November 13th, 2009 Spooky

China’s singles needn’t look for their soul-mates any longer, they cam just go to the Love-Supermarket and buy it from there.

Actually it’s not that easy, but it is a viable way for singles to find a compatible match. the Love-Supermarket opened last month in Xizhimen and was the scene of a special party in celebration of Singles’ Day, on November 11.

The Love Supermarket has had over 500 visitors and has already established 60 successful love connections. Over 200 photos of single people hang on the walls of the establishment, along with personal information (age, gender, career, income,etc.). All clients have to do is pick someone and pay 100 yuan to sign up for a date.

opinions concerning the Love Supermarket are split. Some believe the tax is to high just to meet someone, others don’t care about the money, but doubt the singles info displayed is genuine and fear some of the “accounts” were set up by the owners so they can cash in on the date tax. But, with over 500,000 single women past the average marriage age, the Love Supermarket is bound to be a success.

via China.org.cn

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Heart-Shaped Oranges Spotted in Seoul

November 13th, 2009 Spooky

Their shape may not be as complex as the Buddha-shaped pears, but these heart-shaped oranges spotted in a market, in the capital of South Korea are just as impressive. I’d like to get my hands on one of those for Valentine’s Day, but I doubt they’d ship those babies half way around the world. Oh well, I guess a heart-shaped box of chocolates will have to do.

via People.com.cn

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Extreme Survivor: Changing a Tire with Your Feet

November 9th, 2009 Spooky

This man’s body may be broken, but his spirit is stronger than most people’s. While other healthy individual spend their days begging, this noble soul works on fixing broken tires…with only his feet. Sure, life can sometimes be very cruel, but this guy refuses to just lay down and die, just because he can’t use his hands. You have to admit this is really impressive and inspiring stuff.

Photos via Tiexue

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Golden Rock – Nature’s Balancing Act

November 4th, 2009 Spooky

The gold-covered granite boulder perched atop a stone pedestal known as Golden Rock,  is one of the most breathtaking sights in Burma.

The third most sacred place in Burma, after Schwedagon Pagoda and Mahamuni Pagoda, Golden Rock lies at the top of Mount Kyaiktiyo, in Mon State. It is completely covered with gold leaves layered by Buddhist devotees and is topped by a 5.5 meters-tall pagoda.

Legend has it Buddha, on one of his travels on Earth, gave a strand of his hair to a hermit, who with his dying breath asked his son Tissa to enshrine the lock in a boulder shaped like his head. The child later became King of Burma and fulfilled his father’s wish by placing the divine gift in a boulder on Mount Kyaiktiyo. Burmese Buddhists believe it’s the strand of hair that keeps Golden Rock in place, defying gravity.

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The Mysterious Leh Magnetic Hill

October 14th, 2009 Spooky

Nestled between the Great Himalayas and Karakoramh mountains, Leh Magnetic Hill apparently has magnetic properties capable of pulling vehicles uphill.

Located just 30 km from the city of Leh, the Magnetic Hill is quite a popular tourist attraction in India. Travelers from all over the world are drawn here by its mysterious magnetic powers. There is a marked line on the road going up the hill, where drivers are instructed to put their cars in neutral and sit back as they get pulled up at speeds over 20 km/h.

Stories say the magnetic energy is so powerful that aircrafts have to fly at a higher altitude to avoid interference. But, in reality, there is no magnetism or mystical power involved, just an optical illusion created by the layout of the surroundings. A slightly downhill slope appears to go uphill and while the car naturally roles downwards, the landscape makes it look like it’s actually climbing.

Even though it’s just nature playing a trick on us mere mortals, it’s still an amazing experience, worth trying. Check out the video at the bottom to see the Leh Magnetic Hill in action.

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The Incredible Taung Kalat Monastery

October 12th, 2009 Spooky

Built atop an extinct volcano plug, the Buddhist monastery of Taung Kalat is one of the most breathtaking sites in Burma and the world.

Many people call the hill on which the monastery was built, Mount Popa, but they’re mistaking it with the much higher volcano, close by. The hill is called Taung Kalat and though it looks like a mere bump when compared to Mount Popa, climbing it is quite a task. There are seven hundred seventy seven steps to from the bottom, all the way to the Buddhist monastery.

The locals believe Nats (37 demigod-like beings) live inside Taung Kalat hill and judging by the heavenly views from up there, they just might be right.

Climbing up Taung Kalat, you’re bound to run into some adorable Macaques, but be careful, they’re wild creatures and are likely to snatch anything you lay on the ground, before you even have the chance to blink.

Taung Kalat Monastery and its surroundings are truly unique, but unless the Burmese government intervenes soon, they will degrade beyond recovery.

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Giant Gigantor Unveiled in Japan

October 6th, 2009 Spooky

Two weeks after the Tokyo Gundam statue was dismantled, a new robot statue was unveiled in Kobe, Japan. This time it’s the Tetsujin 28-go aka Gigantor.

This mean looking machine was set up in Wakamatsu Park, Kobe and unlike the RX78 Gundam statue it will remain here permanently. The funds for the construction of Gigantor were not supplied by big-time corporations either. The approximately 1.5 million dollars were raised by local shop owners, in hope that it will bring commerce and people to Kobe.

The city of Kobe was seriously damaged by an earthquake, in 1995, and its population has decreased to around 80% of what it was before the cataclysm. Mitsuteru Yokoyama, a legendary manga artists, was born in Kobe and helped design Tetsujin 28-go.

via Mainichi

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Buffalo-Riding Ceremony in Cambodia

September 21st, 2009 Spooky

The Buffalo-Riding Ceremony is held every year, in the Cambodian village of Virhear Sour, Kandal province. The tradition of this even goes back 70 years and it marks the end of the Festival of the Dead. It is also a way to honor the Neakta Preah Srok pagoda spirit.

After the race is over, the buffaloes are auctioned off to the highest bidders.

Photos by Reuters

via People.com.cn

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Fish Need Healthcare Too

September 10th, 2009 Spooky

I’m sure that’s what Patit Paban Halder thought to himself when he decided to open up a fish hospital in the comfort of his own home, in India.

The Fish Hospital of Chandannagore, India, is the only one of its kind. Halder, together with his wife and son, has set up a 32-aquarium facility where they observe and treat sick ornamental fish. The fish doctor does rounds, takes blood sample, checks them for fungus and bacteria and even gives the tiny fish injections.

I don’t know how many of his patience actually make it out of the hospital, but the mere effort of trying to save them is worth my respect.

Photos by DESHAKALYAN CHOWDHURY/AFP/Getty Images

via LIFE

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Olympic Babies Compete in Crawling Race

August 11th, 2009 Spooky

They’ve only been born for a year and they’re already competing in sporting events. No wonder they’re called Olympic Babies.

Babies born on August 8, known as Olympic Babies, take part in a sporting competition that fits them like a diaper, a crawling race.  The race took place on August 6, 2009 in Beijing, to commemorate a 1 year anniversary since the Olympic Games held in the Chinese Capital.

via China.org

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The Living Bridges of Cherrapunji

August 7th, 2009 Spooky

It might sound like an exaggeration, but the root bridges of Cherrapunji are indeed alive. Unlike most parts of the world, these bridges are grown, not built.

Known as the wettest place on Earth, Cherrapunji is home to some of the most amazing plants. One of these is the Ficus elastica tree, a sort of rubber tree that grows a ind of secondary roots from higher up in the trunk. The War-Khasis, a local tribe, noticed this plant and realized its potential.

Using hollowed-out betel nut trunks, the tribesmen are able to direct the roots in whatever way they like. When the roots grow all the way across a river, they are allowed to return to the soil, and over time, a strong bridge is formed. It takes up to 10-15 years for a root bridge to develop, but it becomes stronger with each passing year and are known to last for centuries.

Boulders and stones are placed among the rubber tree roots for an easier crossing. The living root bridges of  Cherrapunji are incredibly sturdy, able to sustain more than fifty people at a time.

via rootbridges

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Chinese Chef Makes World’s Longest Noodle

July 31st, 2009 Spooky

Li Enhai, a talented cook from China, insured himself a spot in the Guinness Book of Records after  making a 2,852 meters long noodle, with just one kilogram of flour. In the photos, you can witness his noodle stretching technique, at a hotel opening, in Keshikten, northern China, on July 29.

Photos by Xinhua/Sun Guoshu

via People.com.cn

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The Bees Masters

July 27th, 2009 Spooky

In order to show how intimate they are with bees and as proof of their apiculture supremacy, a couple of bee keepers covered themselves with bees.

On July 16, in Ning’an City, northern China, Li Wenhua and Yan Hongxia, two passionate bee-keepers, pulled-off a stunt many would consider insane. Using the queen-bee as bait, the two managed to cover themselves with over 10,000 bees.

Photos by Xinhua/Zhang Chunxiang

via People.com.cn

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A True Hand-Made Flag

July 27th, 2009 Spooky

If you thought you were going to see a hand-sown flag, then I’m going to have to disappoint you, but this is something way cooler.

The “left behind children” of migrant workers  went to work in China’s larger cities or abroad, together with volunteers from the University of Science and Technology, have made a 60-square-meters flag of China, using their hand imprints. The artwork was unveiled at Lintou middle-school, Hashan county, on July 21, 2009.

This is was their way of celebrating the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.

via China.org

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Too Many People, Too Little Water

July 21st, 2009 Spooky

No, I’m not talking about the shortage of drinking water in third world countries around the world, that’s what the Dirty Water Campaign is for.

This time I’m talking about…let’s call it fun-water shortage. A massive heat-wave hit China these last few days, and temperatures soared to an alarming 40 degrees Celsius. So what were the poor Chinese people to do, under these circumstances? Find a place to cool of, of course, and what’s better than a swim at the local swimming pool, right?

Well, that’s just not the case for the people of Nanjing, who barely had enough room to tread water at this over-crowded swimming pool. The Daily Mail thinks this might just be the most crowded swimming pool in the world and I tend to agree. But then again, what do you expect in a country with a population of over one billion?

More swimming pools maybe? Just a thought…

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The Zipper Pond of Taiwan

July 8th, 2009 Spooky

An artistically designed pond that looks like it could be zipped up at any time.

Designed by renowned Taiwanese sculptor Ju Chun, the Zipper Pond has become one of the most popular attractions at the Juming Museum, outside Taipei.  It does look absolutely amazing…I mean I’ve seen some beautiful ponds in my time, but a zipper pond? That’s special.

via Crooked Brains

photos by JT

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Cool Coffee-Making Manga Robot

June 23rd, 2009 Spooky

This isn’t some kind of coffee filter designed to look as a robot. This thing really makes coffee just like we humans do.

Designed by Clockwork,  a Japanese dude who’s into manga and robotics, the coffee-making robot uses 20 digital KRS-788HV servos, a servo motor, both controlled by a PCB located in its head. The photos don’t say much about this little Japanese coffee making robot, but you can see it in action if you scroll to the video at the bottom.

Also head over to clockwork.shikisokuzekuu.net for more pics and info (if you speak Japanese).

via Geek Alerts

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Tokyo’s Real-Life Gundam at Night

June 15th, 2009 Spooky

We’ve already posted some photos of the completed life-size RX78 Gundam, during the day, now we though you might enjoy seeing it in action at night.

Just like the Japanese said, the real-life Gundam in Odaiba’s Shiokaze Park has lights radiating from various body-parts, which make it look way much cooler when the sun sets. Check it out:

via Pink Tentacle

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The Power of Yoga

June 5th, 2009 Spooky

Everyone keeps telling me about the beneficial effects of practicing Yoga, but this is too much.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen what Yoga can do for older people, but that doesn’t make these photos any less impressive. I was around five or six the last time I was able to bring my foot up to the tip of my nose, and this guy puts his feet behind his back with ease, at over fifty years of age. I really have to start practicing Yoga!

via Moobol

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