The Catacomb Saints - Europe’s Jewel-Encrusted Skeletons

Paul Koudounaris, a history professor from California, has spent the last three years visiting ancient ossuaries and churches around Europe and photographing their macabre treasures. Among these are the Catacomb Saints, a series of jewel-encrusted skeletons said to be the remains of Christian saints.

Decorated with hundreds of precious stones and several pounds of gold and silver, the Catacomb Saints photographed by Mr. Koudounaris for his new book, Empire of Death, are skeletons dug up from Roman catacombs in the 16th century and installed in churches around Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the orders of the Vatican, to replace the sacred relics destroyed during the Protestant Reformation of the 1500s. Although none of them qualified as saints, authorities from the Vatican signed certificates identifying the dug-up skeletons as martyrs. The bones were packed in boxes and sent from Rome to various monasteries around central Europe, where nuns decorated them with gold and silver jewelry encrusted with precious stones. Since the skeletons were believe to be Christian martyrs, their bones couldn’t be handled by anybody, but only by those who had taken a sacred vow to the Church. Once the decorative work was finished, the bejeweled remains were sent to churches and cathedrals where they reminded people of the spiritual treasures of the afterlife and acted as symbols of the Christian Church’s power in previously Protestant areas.

But by the 19th century the Catacomb Saints and their dubious martyr origin had become nothing but beautifully-decorated reminders of an embarrassing past, so most of them were taken from their church display niches, stripped of their honors and locked away in containers for safe keeping. Their existence has remained largely unknown, so after discovering one of these morbid treasures, Los-Angeles-based Paul Koudounaris felt it was his duty to tell their fascinating story. During a three-year journey around the world, he has photographed catacombs and ossuaries and crypts in countries like Austria, Cambodia, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Italy, Peru, Portugal, among others. Fascinating photographs and tales of these places have been included in his new book, Empire of Death, available on Amazon.

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World’s Smallest Roadworthy Car

Growing up, Phoenix-based Austin Coulson was always fascinated by all the cool automotive records he found in the yearly Guinness Book of Records, and dreamed of one day having his name mentioned in the famous publication. He recently got his wish, after building the world’s smallest roadworthy car.

29-year-old Austin Coulson says he developed a passion for tinkering with mechanical stuff very early in life. As a young boy, he used to ride bicycles with his friends, and always fond some parts to add or remove. When he turned 16. Austin bought his first car, a Bronco with a blown transmission. So he bought a repair manual and learned from scratch how take the thing apart and put it back together. It wasn’t easy, but he got the hang of it and he’s been building custom cars ever since. Two years ago, he saw a small go-kart with a car body on it, that made it look like a real miniature roadworthy vehicle. It got him thinking whether someone could really build such a small car and make it street legal. It also reminded Austin about his life-long dream of having his name in the Guinness Book of Records, so he started searching to see if there was already a record for the world’s smallest street-legal car. A guy from England held the record, but after seeing his creation, Coulson thought to himself “I can beat that”.

Austin builds custom cars for a living, sometimes even piecing them together from scratch, so his friends and family had no doubt about his ability to build the world’s custom car, but they were skeptical about getting it approved as roadworthy. Coulson agrees building the vehicle was the easiest part of the project. The body came from a 57′ Chevy Bel Air mockup, which he cut to fit over the frame he built himself, from scratch, and added the engine, transmission and drive-train from a street-legal quad. His little beast ran great, but he still needed to add a whole list of features to actually make it roadworthy. He somehow managed to get a custom 3-inches by 9-inches safety-glass windshield installed, headlights, taillights, turn signals, rear-view mirror, seat belt and even a functional horn. It took a while to get everything straightened out, but after going through Guinness’ strict approval process, Austin Coulson finally became the new record holder for the world’s smallest roadworthy car. His contraption measures 63.5 cm (25 in) tall, 65.41 cm (25.8 in) wide and 126.47 cm (50 in) long.

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Natural Black Chicken

Did you know there was such a thing as black chicken? And I don’t mean as in dark feathers, but black skin, bones and even internal organs. There are actually several black chicken breeds in the world, especially in Asia, but the most popular of all has to be the Chinese Silkie.

Silkies are beautiful birds, covered in fluffy plumage, which is said to feel like silk, but underneath all that fluff they are far less attractive. Their skin is a dark-bluish color, the flesh is dark beige and the bones and some internal organs are pitch black. Although in the Western world silkie chickens are sold mainly for ornamental purposes, in countries like China they are considered a super food and are appreciated for their deep, gammy flavor. Called “wu gu ji” or “black-boned chicken”, the silkie has been prized for its medicinal value ever since the seventh or eighth century. Chinese women consume it after they have given birth to get a boost of energy, but it’s also said to have a positive effect on the yin, blood, lungs and stomach. Silkie meat is rarely roasted. To take full advantage of its curative properties, the Chinese mainly use it to make an amber-colored broth laced with ginseng , dried wolfberries and jujubes.

According to a genetic study published in 2011, the unique trait of silkie chickens, known as fibromelanosis, is caused by an unusual genetic mutation characterized as “a complex rearrangement that leads to increased expression of Endothelin 3, a gene which is known for promoting the growth of pigment cells”. The massive expansion of pigment cells not only makes the skin and bones black, but also causes dark internal organs. Another interesting thing about silkies is their high content of carnosine, a naturally occurring peptide which is sold as a dietary supplement. People take it to increase muscle mass, ward of the effects of aging and alleviate diseases like diabetes or autism. Studies have shown the black chicken is one of the richest sources of carnosine.

If you’re wondering how black chicken meat tastes, most people say it’s no different than traditional chicken, but some say it’s a little sweeter. So, would you embrace the dark side and feast on the dark flesh of a silkie?

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Chinese Man Has New Nose Grown on His Forehead

Meet 22-year-old Xiaolian. He is not wearing some bizarre special effects makeup, that is actually a real nose growing on his forehead. As strange as it looks, this is apparently a pretty common nose reconstruction technique.

No too long ago, Xiaolian was involved in a car accident that damaged his nose. After he refused medical treatment, the wound became infected and in a few months time the bacteria had corroded the cartilage of the nose, making it impossible for doctors to save. But since we’re living in an age where medical miracles are possible, they decided to remove the infected tissue and grow the young man a new nose. This was done by by placing a skin tissue expander onto Xiaolian’s forehead, cutting it into the shape of a nose and planting a cartilage taken from his ribs. It’s taken Chinese doctors in Fuzhou, Fujian province, nine months to grow the nose, but it was worth it, because the organ developed perfectly and it’s almost ready to be shifted in it the place of Xiaolian’s original nose.

As unbelievable as it looks, western plastic surgeons say the technique is nothing new. In fact, 15 years ago scientists in America created a human ear from cow cartilage and attached it to a mouse to see if it would grow. But similar reconstructive surgery is done differently in the Western world. Doctors also put tissue expanders under the forehead skin to stretch the skin enough to cover the new nose, but they place the cartilage right where the old nose used to be and bring the skin flap over it. Growing the entire nose on Xiaolian’s forehead means it can be moved blood vessels and skin intact, maximizing the transplant’s chances of success.

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Russian Powerlifter Has the Face of a Porcelain Doll and the Body of an Amazon

Yulia Viktorovna Vins, or Julia Vins, as she is known in the online bodybuilding and powerlifting communities, is a 17-year old Russian powerlifter who recently shot to Internet fame after a series of photos showing her doll-like face and impressive physique went viral.

Russia and countries of the former USSR have their share of doll-faced beauties – with Valeria Lukyanova,Anastasia Shpagina and Anzhelika Kenova being the most famous – but none of them have the impressive body of Yulia Vins. The young athlete from Engels, Russia, might have the face of a fragile porcelain doll, but her massive arm and leg muscles are enough to put most men to shame. In a recent interview with a fellow bodybuilding enthusiast, Yulia said she started working out to become stronger and build self-confidence, but had no intention of becoming a professional powerlifter. During the first year, she trained her muscles without following a clear workout program, but eventually decided she needed guidance. She was training at the school gym and the only coach there specialized in powerlifting and weightlifting. Yulia opted for the former, because she wanted her body to develop harmoniously, and in just one year she made extraordinary progress. She is currently preparing for her first official powerlifting competition, in September.

Although she has her share of admirers, Julia Vins admits there are those who criticize her choice and tell her she is ruining her body. Lately she has been trying to ignore such comments. She feels it’s her life, her body and she hates it when others try to impose their opinions on her. “There will always be people who respect my choice, or simply adequately explain why they don’t agree with it, but there is nothing to be gained by trying to defame someone who is following their dream,” the young athlete says. Her friends have always been very supportive, and some have even followed her example and joined her at the gym.


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Brazilian Man to Marry Pet Goat in Devil’s Curch

Aparecido Castaldo, a retired stone cutter from Jundiai, Brazil has decided to marry his beloved Carmella, a goat. Because no Christian minister would agree to perform the marriage ceremony, the two will be wed by a known satanic leader, in the Church of the Devil.

People have married their pets in the past, although in most cases the marriage ceremony was just a symbolic one performed by family or friends. However, 74-year old Aparecido Castaldo, a widower and father-of-seven, apparently wanted to be united with his goat Carmela in a church, by an evangelical minister. Unfortunately, none of the churches he contacted with his unusual request wanted to perform the ceremony, so Aparecido eventually contacted Toninho do Diabo (Tom the Devil), an old friend who just happens to be one of the most famous satanists in Brazil. The wedding is scheduled to take place at midnight, on October 13, at the Devil’s Church, in Sao Paolo. ”Only our church accepted this love between man and animal because we have no prejudice,” Toninho said.

Aparecido fell in love with his pet goat two years ago, and apparently she has already been accepted as a “stepmother” by the man’s seven children, who will all be at the wedding. Although their upcoming wedding has caused a lot of controversy in the community, and attracted accusations from animal rights activists, Castaldo said they have no plans to consummate their marriage. He just needs a life companion and Carmella is just perfect. “Whenever someone says I am doing something wrong I reply the goat does not speak, ask for money to go shopping and doesn’t get pregnant – and she can’t talk,” the groom-to-be praised his future wife. She does have one fault, though – she tries to eat everything, including the first wedding dress Aparecido got for her. Luckily, he was able to find another.

After the October 13 wedding, Aparecido plans to celebrate his union to Carmela with a barbecue party, but makes it very clear that there won’t be any goat meat served…

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Amazing Balancing Act of the Dog on a Tightrope

He never uses a safety net, and of course, he’s unable to carry a pole.

But today, ladies and gentlemen: step right up for Osbert Humperdinck Pumpernickle, the collie who never wobbles.

The four-year-old cross - Ozzy for short - has rightly claimed his place as Britain’s most accomplished canine tightrope walker.

See how he balances on hind legs on a highwire stretched between two trees! Marvel at his skill in traversing a rope with no visible means of support!

And now - applaud as he picks up his coveted Guinness World Record award for performing the fastest crossing of a tightrope ever to be achieved by a dog (a category, it should be said, in which there was surprisingly little competition).

For the record, he crossed a 3.5m (11.4ft) rope in 18.22 seconds.

The rare feat is just one of Ozzy’s many remarkable acrobatic acts, which also include swinging on a chain, freerunning along a narrow ledge, or balancing on his owner Nick Johnson’s shoulders as he cycles into town. For the avoidance of doubt, by the way, it’s Nick who does the cycling, not Ozzy - although it is surely only a matter of time before this particular dog masters two-wheel travel.

Ozzy, a chocolate and white border collie and kelpie cross, was born on a farm in Anglesey, North Wales, before moving to Nick’s home in Norwich. He showed an early aptitude for balance and seemed keen to improve on that tired old repertoire of standard doggy tricks, such as shake-a-paw and fetch-a-stick.

Nick, a 51-year-old carpenter, bought a book called Puppies For Dummies before enrolling Ozzy on a six-week training course and taking some tips from celebrated ‘dog whisperer’ Zak George.

His acrobatic antics were captured in a YouTube video that led to international acclaim and TV stardom.

Yesterday Nick declared himself ‘so happy and proud’ at Ozzy’s place in world record history, adding: ‘Ozzy’s parents are working sheepdogs on a farm, so it’s in his blood to want to work closely with me. He’s most happy when he’s working on the tricks that we do - he regards it as a game.

'We only practice when Ozzy is in the mood, after he’s done all his important dog stuff like sniffing around and meeting other dogs.’

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