12 Awesome Hyperrealistic Cakes

These soda bottles by Sydney-based artist Andres Fatso. They are completely edible, except for the wrapper, and come in different flavors. The Sprite cake tastes like matcha (green tea), the Fanta cake like Peanut Butter Cups, and the Coca-Cola cake like Nutella. (Source)

Laura Loukaides' baking creations are incredibly detailed and impeccably crafted (like the doner kebab above) leading to a lot of love on social media. The 23-year-old from Hertfordshire, U.K. is self-taught and has never taken a professional baking class.  (Source)

A U.K.-based bakery created a wedding gown-shaped wedding cake that looks so realistic that many people can't tell it apart from a real-life dress.

Emma Jayne Cake Design took inspiration from designer Mak Tumang's "Angela" gown, recreating it in painstaking detail for London's Cake International, a sugar crafting, decorating, and baking extravaganza trade show that lets vendors show off and brides-to-be figure out just how to get their weddings to go viral. (Source)

This amazing realistic burrito cake is a creation of the Wuollett Bakery in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo)

Ace of Cakes star and baker Duff Goldman called this life-sized creation his best cake ever. We agree! The rolls and rolls of formed fondant made a damn near identical replica of Kasey Kahn's debuting No. 5 Time Warner Cable NASCAR racer. The coolest part? The wheels spun, and the exhaust blew smoke! (Source)

Every single part of the strikingly realistic-looking turkey is made from sponge cake. It was created by Beverly Hills patissier, Rosebud Cakes, which, along with food, also makes cakes in the shape of guitars, dogs, and designer bags. (Source)

For cakes that look like steaks, you can't get better than this. From Debbie Does Cakes in Oakland, California. (Source)

This magnificent 3D durian cake is the brainchild of Matthew Yap, who runs the Songket Artisan Bakery in Malaysia with his wife, Helen Wong.

Wong is the baker but credits her husband for conceiving the idea to make the cake for an aunt's 85th birthday. “My aunt loved durians. I wanted to make not just any durian-flavoured cake for her, but one that looks and tastes just like the real fruit,” he said. 

Wong baked, and Yap decorated. He bought durians and placed one right in front of him as a reference as he crafted the cake, which took two full days. (Source)

Do you like your BBQ sweet? Well, it doesn't get sweeter than this beef rib cake from Debbie Does Cakes. (Source)

For the crafter with a sweet tooth—a sewing basket cake by Jo Drummond of North Carolina. (Photo)

That's one big Madagascar Hissing Cockroach! But don't freak out—it's only a cake, created by New York nurse and food artist Katherine Dey. The roach is filled with Boston creme and has a fondant exterior. (Source)

Francesca Pitcher created such a lifelike snake cake for her six-year-old daughter's birthday party, it left her guests in near hysterics. The ophiophobic mom spent three days creating the realistic reptile after studying images of the yellow colored beast online. Way to channel your fears, Francesca! (Source)

SOURCE: Oddee

The Coolest Sleeping Bags Ever

1. Pizza Sleeping Bag

They say you've never truly experienced pizza until you slept in it. Perfect for sleep overs, these hand made comfy pizza slice sleeping bags can be custom ordered with your choice of toppings that come either as extra pillows or as fixed blanket decorations. (Source)

2. The Sleep Suit

It looks like a honeycomb, but it's not. Created by Forrest Jessee, it's inspired by the Dymaxion schedule of sleep, which means sleeping many times per day. So this one's good when napping, and not just for camping. I, however, would not bring it anywhere near a forest—it's too pretty to soil.

By carefully mapping the pressure points in any possible position, this sleepsuit is surprisingly a great "sleeping bag" to slip into.
(Source)

3. Condom Sleeping Bag and Pillow

The condom sleeping bag is a sleevey, tubey sleeping bag that comes with a pillow that looks like a condom wrapper—while you are sleeping, you can just think of yourself as a little sperm. The sleeping bag and pillow are just a life-sized reminder to wrap it up before you get busy, with whatever, or whomever, you plan to get busy with. The condom pillow even comes with pockets; the smaller pocket is to hold condoms, snacks, or a fresh pair of undies, so that you are ready for anything if and/or when it comes. The larger pocket is to hold the condom sleeping bag itself. (Source)

4. Office Sleeping Bag

The Nappak is designed to use in minimal space—it can be quickly opened and stored, and it is mobile and easily use. Its translucent white color inside creates a relaxing atmosphere, and while its orange color is an attention getter. (Source)

5. Anatomically Correct Sleeping Bag

Give your friends a complimentary biology lesson at the next sleepover by placing yourself inside this anatomically correct sleeping bag. Apart from providing ample padding and insulation, it features a fully colored diagram of the human body. (Source)

6. Hot Pockets Sleeping Bag

A Hot Pockets® sleeping bag is one of those things that exists, and you simply don't know why but now cannot imagine life without one. According to the description, its “Custom MicroWaav™ insulation system ensures your extremities stay toasty.”

Since it's getting warmer outside and folks are going on camping trips or to festivals, I thought I'd hip you to this bag. No, you won't look like a total weirdo sleeping in this. No one will look twice or think poorly of you, dumbass.
(Source)

7. JakPak (Jacket + Tent + Sleeping Bag)

Why carry a jack, tent and sleeping bag on your back when all these items can fold into one, wearable 3lb bundle? The JakPak is a three seasons tent built into a sleeping bag integrated into a jacket. Constructed of breathable but waterproof urethane and coated ripstop nylon/polyester fabric through the miracles of velcro-secured chambers, the jacket portion of the JakPak can unfurl to the body bag you see in the lead shot—complete with netting and armpit ventilation! (Source)

8. Human burrito

This creative and innovative sleeping bag designed by Oradaria can be easily transformed into a pillow, mattress, chair, or blanket. Made for kids and adults, “Blandito” is warm and extremely comfortable. (Source)

9. Egyptian Tomb Bag

Behold the mummy's sarcophagus and sleeping bag—hands down the greatest looking piece of outdoor gear I have seen in years and shame on US manufacturers for not designing something this cool. The Japanese company behind this Egyptian tomb is the same one responsible for the anatomical bag mentioned above. (Source)

SOURCE: Oddee

7 Things That Mysteriously Appeared

1. 60 Sheep on an Island

On Feb 7, 2017, police on the Isle of Wight were flummoxed to find some 60 sheep grazing in an open meadow. It was unclear where they came from and who owned them. Naturally, this led to the police using Twitter to ask if anyone in the area lost their flock. The next day, things went from baaaad to worse—the sheep were gone. “...please keep your eyes open !” officials tweeted. (Source 1 | Source 2 | Photo)

2. A Pokemon Statue in a New Orleans Park

The statue sold for $2000 to an unidentified bidder.

In an homage to the Pokemon Go craze that erupted in July 2016, someone placed a giant Pikachu statue in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans atop of dilapidated fountain. The 5-foot tall Pikachu (made of fiberglass, but painted to look like brass) instantly became a tourist attraction with photos shared across the world. Then, two weeks later it mysteriously disappeared and in its place was a barcode. When scanned on a smartphone, it took users to a website, which explained: “Overwhelmed and touched doesn't begin to describe what the response has meant to us. Pokemonument was never conceived to be a permanent installation. We would like to use that positive momentum to bring about a larger more permanent change for our community. We have donated Pokemonument to the Coliseum Square Association to be auctioned off to help fund the restoration of the fountains in the park.” (Source 1 | Source 2)

3. Giant snowballs on a beach in Siberia

They really got some balls...

Sure it gets cold in Nyda, Siberia, but no one expected to see thousands of perfectly formed snowballs on the beach, ranging from a few inches to three feet. The snowballs covered 11 miles of coastline in November 2016. They were created by a natural, albeit very rare, phenomena when wind, ice, and, water combine in a “perfect storm” to make snowballs. (Source 1 | Source 2)

4. A Vladmir Putin Banner in Manhattan

Speaking of Siberia, Russia's authoritarian leader got a welcome banner in an unlikely place. In October 2016, two figures were seen on the Manhattan Bridge unfurling a 20 x 40 foot banner with the image of Vladimir Putin and the words “Peacemaker” underneath. No one took credit for the stunt, and many said they were confused what the message was supposed to mean. Police had it quickly removed, and there were no arrests.
(Source | Photo)

5. Piles of Worms on a Road in Texas

No other areas reported worm clumping.

This is a natural phenomenon that's also just plain gross—after a flood in Eisenhower State Park in Denison, Texas, rangers were surprised to find clumps of long pink worms in the middle of the road, right between the yellow lines. “Even our biologist doesn't know why they're spaced so well and in the line,” said park superintendent Ben Herman. 

6. A Grand Piano Under the Brooklyn Bridge

In May 2014, New Yorkers who think they've seen everything saw something new—a Mason & Hamlin grand piano half-submerged on the Manhattan side of the East River. These are very expensive pianos and are too heavy to have floated to the spot, experts say. After being exposed to the elements for several weeks, the beautiful instrument eventually disintegrated. (Source)

7. Restaurants for mice in Sweden

In the tiny town of Malmö, Sweden in the neighborhood of Möllevången, someone opened up diminutive businesses. In the basement windows of a couple of shops, a group of artists created two mini storefronts seemingly aimed at mice. The group called itself Anonymouse MMX and said that they created the storefronts using found objects. “It's just too darn charming to imagine a world where mice live parallel to ours but just slightly out of sight,” they said via email. (Source 1 | Source 2)
SOURCE: Oddee.com

Another 8 of the Craziest Collections

1. 3 Million Vinyl Records

Meet Zero Freitas, a 62-year-old wealthy Brazilian businessman who has spent his life amassing a collection of "several million" vinyl records. For years, he's been scouring the world, buying up records from some of the world's most prominent collectors, including former music-store owner Paul Mawhinney, who sold his collection of over 3 million LPs back in 2008. 

Freitas now has a team of international scouts scattered across New York, Mexico City, South Africa, Nigeria, and Cairo—all of whom negotiate deals on his behalf and ship thousands of records back to Brazil every month.

Freitas is aware that the collection is mostly useless if people aren't able to access it, and has now begun preparing the Emporium Musical—a non-profit organization which will act as a music library. He's also on a mission to digitize as much of the collection as possible, as up to 80% of Brazilian music recorded in the 20th-century is yet to be transferred. (Source)

2. World's Largest Collection of Pokemon Memorabilia

When it comes to Pokemon, the aim is to collect them all. Lisa Courtney has tried to do so, and is the proud owner of the world's largest Pokemon collection, with more than 16,000 pieces of the Japanese game. The 26-year-old has been collecting and storing the trinkets for the past 17 years. She held the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of Pokemon memorabilia since 2009 when she had just 12,113 items but that hasn't stopped her from collecting more, and she claims to spend over 7 hours a day looking for new releases. (Source)

3. Every Beer Can Ever Made

The beer can is making a comeback, and the proof is on the shelves and in the stacks of boxes inside collectors' homes. Central Indiana resident Gene Judd has an extensive collection in his Zionsville residence—well, he has a separate "can cave" to house his breweriana. Antique or new, and from all over the world, this guy has it all. 

His rarest cans include those made by Krueger, some of the very first to go on sale in 1935, just following the repeal of prohibition. He also has a Fox Deluxe can, which was not known to exists until Judd purchased it in 2014. (Source)

4. 300 Ultra-Realistic Dolls

Marilyn Mansfield has spent tens of thousands of dollars on her incredible doll collection, which includes 300 ultra-realistic handmade dolls. Every room in her Staten Island, New York home is filled with them, and she cares for them like they are her children. 

Marilyn, 36, takes them for walks in a stroller, feeds them, and cuddles them. Husband Zoth Ommog, 40, fully supports her obsession, and the family always makes room for additions. While Marilyn sometimes receives negative criticism for her inanimate family members, some people are fooled by their realistic qualities.

5. Every Christmas No. 1 since 1952

Most of us are sick of Christmas songs after a few days, but they are music to Gordon Lewis's ears—because he has collected every festive No. 1 since 1952.

He has added U.S. rockers Rage Against the Machine's "Killing In The Name Of" to his collection of 60 Christmas chart-toppers. Gordon hates rock and disapproves of the language in Rage's surprise hit but says he is delighted for them.

His obsession began in 1971 when Benny Hill's "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)" knocked T-Rex from its top spot. He spent years searching for Dickie Valentine's 1955 hit "Christmas Alphabet," which is also the most expensive, at £100 (around $150). (Source)

6. World's Largest Private Rum Collection

Over four decades Steve Remsberg's collected over 1,000 bottles of rum. In fact, he remodeled his house around his rum collection. Like an action figure fanatic who keeps his treasures unopened in the original packaging, Remsberg's rum display features almost all unopened bottles, but that doesn't mean he doesn't dip into his own supply. (He's been lucky enough to find duplicates.) The unopened bottles are for display, but he pulls out the opened ones for sipping with special guests. (Source)

7. Every Single Nintendo Wii Game

You probably had no idea that there have been 1,262 games released in North America for the Nintendo Wii, but NintendoAge forum user NintendoTwizer did, and since late 2015 has been working to collect every single one.

Not only does he own all 1,262 games, but he also owns the console in all four different colors and the Wiimote in all twelve different colors. (Source)

8. $160 million Worth Nazi Collection

Birthday present from his parents—a bullet-pocked SS helmet with lightning bolts on the ear-flaps. The next year, at a car auction in Monte Carlo, he asked his multimillionaire father for a Mercedes—the G4 that Hitler rode into the Sudetenland in 1938.

When Wheatcroft was 15, he spent his birthday money on three WWII Jeeps recovered from the Shetlands, which he restored himself and sold for a tidy profit. He then invested the proceeds into four more vehicles and a tank.

Wheatcroft is now 55 and worth $190 million. He lives in Leicestershire, England, where he looks after the property portfolio of his late father and oversees the management of a racetrack and motor museum.

The ruling passion of his life, though, is what he calls the Wheatcroft Collection, which is widely regarded as the world's largest accumulation of German military vehicles and Nazi memorabilia. The collection has largely been kept in private, under heavy guard, in a warren of industrial buildings. There is no official record of the value of Wheatcroft's collection, but some estimates place it at over $160 million. (Source)


SOURCE: Oddee.com

11 More Weird Toilets and Urinals

1. The Vertebrae

Created by Design Odyssey Ltd., the "Vertebrae" is a veritable Swiss Army bathroom that puts every modern bathroom amenity in a single line of stacked rotating modules. It consists of seven modules set on top of the other and anchored to a pole. The only fixed element is the toilet in the bottom, which you can access by moving the modules right above it out of the way. Aside from the actual bowl, it comes with two access doors on each side, where toilet paper and brushes are stored. (Source)

2. Glass Walled Public Urinals

In September 2016, the first tourists to see Shiyanhu Ecologic Park's new glass-walled toilets in Changsha, China were shy of giving them a test-run given that they don't offer the user much privacy. With only frosted glass to separate the cubicles from each other, and fully transparent glass for the outer walls, floor, and roof, a mirrored coating had yet to be applied to the outer glass surfaces. (We guess using these was for emergencies only!) (Source)

3. Video Gaming Urinals

A British company, Captive Media, claims to have developed the first "hands-free" video gaming console of its kind—a urinal mounted and controlled games console. Games offered include a ski challenge and multiple choice trivia quiz.

The device sits above a standard urinal bowl where users are presented with three generous targets to aim for as they go. Stickers in the unit that read "Start," "Left," and "Right." The console can detect where the urine is falling using an infrared device. Once players have finished their business, they can post their scores to Twitter and a live leader board. (Source)

4. A Golden Throne In Hong Kong

Check out this literal golden throne! A company in Hong Kong created a toilet using pure gold and gems, and it's believed to be the most expensive in human history. This not-for-sale "John" has been on display since 2001, and it was even mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records as the costliest toilet ever made, at $4.8 million. (Source)

5. "Doctor Loo"

Doctor Who's blue police box has been converted into a toilet at a Bristol cafe. Justin and Claire Hoggans picked up the replica Tardis for £1,800 and spent almost as much installing the “Who Loo” at the Warmley Waiting Room Cafe on the Bristol and Bath Railway Path. (Source)

6. A Toilet For Vomiting Only

It made us do a double take! They say you can always tell how classy a joint is by checking out the bathrooms. We, therefore, know all we need to about this Prague club judging by this toilet, which is used especially for vomiting. (Source)

7. A Venus Flytrap Urinal

Would you really use a Venus Flytrap urinal? Crafted by San Francisco artist Clark Sorensen, this fully-functional fixture comes with sharp spikes and a steep asking price of $11,500. (Source)

8. P-Tree Urinals

Dutch designer Sam van Veluw found an interesting way to solve the problem of long toilet lines during different events, festivals, and open-air concerts. He created waterless urinals for strapping onto trees to cut down on wait times and to prevent revellers from peeing directly onto—well, everything. (Source)

9. The Fish Tank Toilet Bowl

The Fish ‘n Flush Toilet Tank Aquarium is the real deal! It comes equipped with a powerful filtration system, waterproof LED lights, and two compartments—one holds the toilet water and the other holds the fish. (Source)

10. The Toilet-Sink Combo

The toilet-sink combo is one of best ways to make your home eco-friendly without sacrificing space or style. They communicate with each other and the water that you use to wash your hands can then be recycled and used to flush the toilet. (Source)

11. The Glass Toilet

In theory it's a cool idea, but in practice? Not so much. Let's hope this one stays in the conceptual stages! (Photo)

SOURCE: Oddee.com

10 Tragic Contest Deaths

1. The “Tex-Ass” doughnut challenge claims a life

A Voodoo Doughnuts challenge has taken the life of Denver resident Travis Malouff, 42. He choked while attempting to down a half-pound glazed doughnut in the eatery's "Tex-Ass Challenge,” which requires participants to consume a behemoth cake—the equivalent of six regular doughnuts—within an 80 seconds. That's a pretty hefty price to pay for a free meal and a button. The company has since suspended the once popular contest. (Source)

2. A contest to draw Muhammad ends in gunfire

Not a great idea in the first place—two men opened fire outside a contest to draw Prophet Muhammad cartoons in a Dallas suburb in 2015. (For most Muslims, pictures, as well as statues, of Mohammed, are prohibited, as they are thought to encourage the worship of idols.)

The gunmen began firing just as the "Muhammad Art Exhibit and Cartoon Contest" was coming to an end. Police who were helping with security at the event fired back, killing both shooters. 

The event was sponsored by the American Freedom Defense Initiative, which is considered an anti-Muslim group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The group specifically picked the venue because it also hosted an event denouncing Islamophobia. The event invited cartoonists to send in drawings of Muhammad for a $10,000 top prize. (Source)

3. The sorority sister who died during a pancake eating contest

In March 2017, college student Caitlin Nelson was participating in a Greek Life food eating charity contest at her school, Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, when she choked after eating several pancakes and collapsed.

The 20-year-old daughter of a Port Authority cop who lost his life on 9/11, Nelson was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and was transferred to Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan, where she later died. The medical examiner's office said the official cause of death was “asphyxia due to obstruction of the airway by a bolus of food.”

Her dad, Officer James Nelson, died on 9/11 while trying to get people out of one of the Twin Towers, according to the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association. (Source)

4. The family who sued a club after its matriarch died in a corn dog eating contest

A mother and daughter, Debra and Jessie Harbeck, were celebrating with drinks in January 2016 when tragedy struck at the Fire and Ice Club in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

A highly intoxicated Debra, 56, was taking part in a risque corn dog eating challenge in which "female contestants got on their knees in front of males who were holding corn dogs near their groin area.” Debra began choking on her partner's corn dog. Patrons rushed to apply the Heimlich maneuver and CPR before paramedics got there. She died a few days later from severe problems caused by the choking episode.

The family has since filed a wrongful death suit against the now defunct club, accusing bar staff of over-serving Debra and for operating an eating contest without medical supervision. (Source)

5. The contest winner who ate live bugs but died immediately after the event

In 2012, 32-year-old contest winner Edward Archbold died after eating insects during a competition to win a snake. 

The Florida man collapsed and died after gobbling dozens of live roaches and worms. He gagged and heaved violently outside the Ben Siegel Reptile store in Deerfield Beach, Florida shortly after the contest ended. It was initially thought he had an allergic reaction to the cockroaches, but an autopsy revealed the bugs he had eaten became lodged in his windpipe, cutting off his oxygen supply. (Source)

6. The obstacle race participant who drowned during a competition

Avishek Sengupta, 28, of Ellicott City, Maryland, died in April 2013 a day after he was pulled from the water pit on the “Walk the Plank” obstacle at the Peacemaker National Training Center in Glengary during the Tough Mudder competition. The obstacle involves climbing up a wooden wall to a platform, then jumping 15 feet into a water pit. A medical examiner ruled he drowned.

A wrongful-death suit was filed against the company a year after he died, charging Tough Mudder and Airsquid Ventures, whose subsidiary was responsible for aquatic safety at the event, among others, with gross negligence for their conduct at the "Walk the Plank" water obstacle. The companies later settled out of court. (Source | Photo)

7. The contestant who died from alcohol poisoning during a drinking competion

Organizers of a Luoyang, Henan Province, China drinking competition were forced to pay a hefty settlement to the family of a man named Wang Qiang who died from alcohol poisoning after the 2014 event. 

The "competitive binge-drinking session was held by the Henan Alcohol Association. Qiang said he "felt weird' after participating in the drink-a-thon, and needed to be sent to the hospital, where he eventually died from alcohol intoxication. (Source)

8. The "Hands On A Hardbody" contestant who committed suicide during the competition

From the documentary "Hands On A Hardbody." (Photo Source)

An endurance contest participant in line to win a Nissan truck killed himself in front of police at a local store.

Hands on a Hardbody contestant number 4, 24-year-old Richard Vega of Tyler, Texas, was quiet, soft spoken and well liked. Shortly before the 6:00 a.m. break, he took his hands off the hardbody truck and walked across the street to Kmart and threw a trash can through the front doors. As employees scrambled to get out, he calmly asked where the sporting goods section was. He grabbed a shotgun and shells and was stopped by police on his way out. It was at that point he took a couple of steps back and shot himself.

Vega had seen drinking several power drinks that were loaded with caffeine before the contest. "He'd had about six, and he said 'am I alright? My head is buzzing, am I alight?' And right up to the last moments, before he ran off, he was asking for help," said English reporter James Mawre, who was covering the event for the BBC. (Source)

9. The Japanese man who died during a rice ball eating contest

An anonymous 28-year-old man died after taking part in an onigiri (rice ball) eating contest in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, Japan in November 2016. 

Organizer JA Higashibiwako said 15 contestants were given three minutes to eat five onigiri. The participant collapsed after stuffing the last rice ball into his mouth. A doctor and nurse who were on hand tried to save him, but were unsuccessful. 

The contest was held as a promotional event highlighting local farm products, including the Oumimai rice brand, a specialty of the prefecture. (Source)

10. The contest challenger who died of third-degree burns after a sauna endurance contest

In 2010, contest challenger Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy participated in the annual sauna world championships in Finland, but never made it out alive. Just six minutes in, judges noticed something was wrong and dragged him and a fellow competitor from the sauna. They had severe burns on their bodies and were given first aid after they collapsed.

Ladyzhensky's autopsy later concluded that he had died of third-degree burns. His death was also hastened by his use of strong painkillers and local anesthetic grease on his skin.

The event had been held in Heinola, 86 miles north-east of Helsinki, since 1999. After Ladyzhensky's death, organizers announced they would not hold another competition. (Source)

SOURCE: http://www.oddee.com/item_100026.aspx