58-year-old Wen Hsu has been living in his apartment for the last 35 years.  However, he is the only remaining resident of this giant building and the property is scheduled for demolition.

Jilin City, Eastern China

Running Pipes

Winter was coming and Wen Hsu was afraid the pipes in the building would freeze, leaving him without running water.  To circumvent this problem, Hsu took the next logical step: HE LEFT THE WATER RUNNING ALL WINTER!

Success!

His plan worked!  He had running water all winter.  To make sure his apartment didn’t flood, he diverted the water to run outside his window.  The result is this beautiful cascading frozen waterfall you see pictured.

Hsu’s plan also got the attention of the city who is working with the developers to provide Hsu a better option for relocation.

While Hsu is waiting for the better option, he can watch his masterpiece melt!

Source: MSN

From the country that brought you Human Tails, Sweaty Robots, and Robot Restaurant, a new sport has emerged: Fluorescent Light Fighting.

I’m not quite sure what that point of this violent sport is besides getting mercury poisoning.

I’ve scoured the internet for details on the bloody battles, but have only come up with bloggers speculating about the sport.

From my detailed research (which entailed a total of 20 minutes skimming blogs) I’ve determined the Light Fighting is a mix between WWE Wrestling, UFC Fighting, and working in the lighting department of Home Depot.

I don’t know about you, but this sport looks really safe!

In Rajasthan, a state in India, there is a temple dedicated to the worship of a motorcycle.  Any traveler that passes through the town stops by to pay their respects. 

Om Banna

The police took the motorcycle, but the next morning the bike was found on the spot of the accident.  Police confiscated the bike again, but the next day…same story.

The police went to extreme measures and chained the bike and emptied the gas tank but the next day…the bike was found on the accident spot.

Next Comes the Shrine

News spread of the Bullet bike and the people from the villages built a memorial to worship the motorcycle.

The temple is called “Bullet Baba’s Temple.”  Any traveler that passes thruogh the town stops to pay their respects.  Legend states paying your respects will ensure a safe travel.

The locals pay their respects by adorning the motorcycle with flowers, scarves, and ropes. The temple also has its own priest dedicated to maintaining the shrine.

Submitted by Arpit Sihra

Ever been stuck in traffic, frustrated by the stop-and-go, only to see the flashing red lights of an ambulance wiz right past you?  Why do these vehicles have to have no regard for traffic laws??!  Aren’t you, as a taxpaying citizen, entitled to drive with reckless abandon as well?

Beating the Traffic Jam

Apparently the super-rich in Russia feel that they should be afforded the same driving privileges as emergency workers driving people who were just in catastrophic accidents. According the National Post, “ambulance taxis” have cropped up in Moscow.

Ambulance taxis are outfitted with luxury interiors comparable to five-star limos.  Moscow residents pay up to $200 an hour to ride in the deluxe ambulances and blow through traffic lights.

Hey, for $200 an hour, at least the drivers are going fast and not taking their time!

At Ripley’s we celebrate Valentine’s a bit differently.  Traditional candies and flowers just won’t cut it.  This year, we are counting down the top 5 most UNBELIEVABLE Valentine’s Day ideas.

#5 Mittens for Two

 
Want to hold your sweetie’s hand on Valentine’s but it’s just too darn cold? The “Smitten Snuggle” lets you keep your mitts warm AND lets you stay close to your honey. This unique gift is pretty reasonable too, only $18 on Etsy.

#4 Rotten Flowers

Looking for the perfect gift for that not-so-special unloved one?  Send some Dirty Rotten Flowers.  Their website says it all:

Love left you forlorn?
Got dumped for the yoga instructor?
Want to send a reminder of the “good times?”
Maybe you’re feeling a little cynical…
Yet another forgotten anniversary?
Or, maybe you just want to have a little fun….

I particularly like their testimonials…

“My girlfriend literally left me a “dear John” note after I left for the office. She’s now shacked up with her trainer. I sent her the Morticia bouquet…and got the last word.
– Jonathan, 32, computer programmer

“When my future daughter-in-law conveniently uninvited me to my son’s birthday event, I sent her Dirty Rotten Flowers. She’s not speaking to me…exactly what I hoped for…Thank you DRF.”
– Catherine, 65, wife and mother

#3 Bleeding Hearts

Nothing puts me in the festive mood like a bleeding heart. Lily Vanilli Cakes is baking up a special Valentine’s concoction just for couples who like to have a little spice in their life.

The anatomically correct heart is actually a red velvet sponge, cream cheese frosting and blackcurrant & cherry ‘blood’.  You can get the sweet for around $10 and 20% of sales go to a charity that raises money for young people with cancer.

#2 Give a Piece of Yourself

Polly van der Glas has the perfect Valentine’s gift if you want to give your loved one a real piece of yourself.  Polly makes jewelery from old pieces of, well, YOU: hair, nails, teeth… you name it, she’ll make it!

#1 Fake Girlfriend

Want to show your ex you’ve moved on?  Want to get your family off your back about your perpetual bachelorhood? Then Fake Dating is for you!  Namorofake offers fake dating services.  Pay anywhere $10-$100 and get a beautiful fake girlfriend to post on your profile.  The cost breaks down to how many days and how many posts per day you want.

So, sick of being single on Valentine’s?  Not anymore!

South Korea has a new theme park sure to delight tourists and locals alike.  The Toilet Theme Park is, you guessed it, a theme park devoted to the commode!

Bronze statues in toilet squatting positions

Meet Mr. Toilet

The park honors the former mayor of Suwon, Sim Jae Duck, a.k.a. Mr. Toilet.  Sim Jae Duck was born in his grandmother’s toilet.  Rather than be embarrassed by his arrival into the world, Mr. Toilet embraced his legacy and devoted his life public sanitation and the illustrious latrine.

The theme park, which is really more of a museum, sits on the grounds of Sim Jae Duck’s former residence, the only home to be shaped like a giant toilet!

Poo Souvenirs

The museum features a garden of bronze figures…all in various stages of relieving themselves.  Inside the building is an exhibition hall featuring  great toilet-related works of art, and bathroom signs from around the world.  Want to take a souvenir home to commemorate your day?  Take home a cute poo-shaped toy. A perfect gift for boys and girls.

It might have to be if you lived on Christmas Island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, near Australia.

No, you do not need to change the color on your screen – that tree trunk is covered in red… red crabs that is! That’s right, it is estimated over 120 million crabs live on Christmas Island.

In December the millions of crabs come out of hiding and they make their way toward the ocean for their annual migration.

Holiday Travel

Not all crabs live near the ocean, which means millions have to travel through the town to get there. They cross roads, lawns, driveways, the jungle, down cliffs, and even cut through houses to get to the water! I’m not so sure I would ever get used to red crabs walking through my house every December, let alone millions of them!

And Then They Multiple

After the crabs mate the females lay about 100,000 eggs… EACH! A month later the eggs hatch in the ocean and the millions of baby crabs make the same journey their parents made and head back through town. Considering the babies have never been home, it’s pretty amazing they know where to go.

What Do the Locals Think?

If you had millions of crabs take over your streets and lawn, would you mind? I think I might, but the residents of Christmas Island do not want to see them go. They feel privileged to witness and assist these crabs each year! And in case you were wondering, this is not a crab you would catch for dinner, these red crabs are not edible.

So, whether or not you want to live there, it sounds like an interesting place to visit. But if you go, don’t forget to pack your boots!

Watch the UNBELIEVABLE video posted at the top of the blog to get an idea just how many there are!

On a small island nestled between Antwerp and Ghent in Flanders, Belgium lies what could be the most remarkable hotel ever.  Shaped like a giant anus, Hotel CasAnus just screams, stay inside me!

Interior of CasAnus

The Verbeke Foundation was started by Geert and Carla Verbeke-Lens in the early 1990’s, and they have grown their personal collection to over 2,000 pieces.

The Foundation draws roughly 20,000 visitors per year, and many opt to spend the night in the huge intestine.  For the low price of $120 and a reservation 1-2 weeks in advance, you too can spend the night inside the giant organ.

Check out the video posted at the top of the blog shot by travel blogger Tom Hall.  He wrote about his trip to CasAnus on Lonely Planet.

He says the anus is quite cozy, “Once inside, the bed is comfy, there’s a shower and toilet and towels and bedding is provided.”

He also has a few words of advice for any naysayers:

Before anyone reading this recoils in horror, staying here was a genuine pleasure, The small staff who work here, including Geert and CarlaVerbeke, are passionate about their foundation and the art being made and displayed here. On first arrival, a stroll around the grounds and through the large and important collection of collage works by artists from around the world sets the scene. There’s also the chance to have a drink in the bar-cum-cafe area with the resident artists and owners, who will happily fill you in on what’s new.

A Ukrainian coffin maker has found a new way for people to come to terms with the end of their life.  Instead of fearing the coffin, just embrace it! 

Stepan Piryanyk, Ukrainian Coffin Maker

Stepan Piryanyk has set up a room where clients can rest in his coffins!

At one time our parents, as a rule, kept a coffin in the attic. Then our grandma —- who didn’t have an attic — came to us because she lived in an apartment. She asked us to make something that she could put in her apartment. So we decided to make her a coffin couch. You lay down on it in the evening and slowly get used to eternity. – Sepan Piryanyk

Coffin Therapy Room

After a hard working day you can come in and just relax — it’s great. You go home in a completely different mood,”- Anna Petrukhina

Some sources say the therapy is free, while other sites claim he charges $25 for 15 minutes in the casket.  But I ask, can you really put a price on peace?

Source 1/Source 2

Okay, now here is a product I can really get behind!  The Ostrich Pillow is a made for portable napping.  At work, in class, in the library, waiting for your flight…the Ostrich Pillow will allow you to nap comfortably.

 What are you staring at!

Just be prepared for the millions of stares you might get from strangers. But hey, what do you care, you’re napping!

Plus you won’t even be able to see the awkward glances being cast in your direction because you will have your proverbial ostrich head stuck in the sand.

The Power of the Power Nap

Ostrich Pillow was designed by the team kawamura-ganjavian.  They say that power napping increases productivity by 34%.  I don’t know where they got their stats from, but I’ll buy that!  I know I’m always wishing for a midday siesta around 2pm.

OSTRICH offers a micro environment in which to take a warm and comfortable power nap at ease. It is neither a pillow nor a cushion, nor a bed, nor a garment, but a bit of each at the same time. Its soothing cave-like interior shelters and isolates our head and hands (mind, senses and body) for a few minutes, without needing to leave our desk.- kawamura-ganjavian

Gotta Have It

The design team went to Kickstarter to get funding, and now you can pick up the piece online at Studio Banana.  Costs about $100 and a short wait of 60-90 days!