Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 69
August 31, 2022
August 30, 2022
Pet Supply Company Offers $150 Toward Dog-Inspired Tattoos
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Did you know that August 26 is National Dog Day? Founded in 2004 by the Pet Lifestyle Expert and Animal Welfare Advocate, the day celebrates dogs of every shape, size, and breed. It also encourages people to acknowledge the high number of canines needing adoption (and hopefully do something about it). What’s more, the day celebrates dogs that protect people and make their lives better, whether we’re talking about therapy dogs, companion animals, or canines serving in law enforcement or the military.
If you’re a dog nut, we don’t need to tell you how amazing dogs make our lives. But depending on your level of canine mania, you may want to know about this next tidbit. You see, we’ve learned about a company offering individuals $150 to get a dog tattoo. Here’s what you need to know, especially if you’d like to collect on this offer.
Permanent Proof of Your Pampered PoochThe company that brought you the BarkBox pet supply subscription service recently announced a one-of-a-kind offer. FYI, dog fans who appreciate a little ink are the perfect candidates. To commemorate National Dog Day, they’ve offered $150 each to 100 individuals who agree to get a tattoo of their pet dog.
Lauren Diener inspired the idea behind the contest. A content and social media manager at BARK, Diener became the talk of the company after revealing the ink she got of her three-year-old pit bull, Stella. Her supervisor, Stacie Grisson, couldn’t get enough of the ink and went to the top of BARK to get funding for the piece. Eliza Reinhardt, a colleague of Diener and Grisson, heard about the pit bull ink and immediately hatched a plan.
Tattoos for EveryoneReinhardt loved what Diener and Grisson had done, so much so that she suggested it as a potential promotion. The rest is history. That said, if your interest is piqued by this offer, you’ll need to act quickly. BARK has set a deadline of September 2 for anyone interested in a permanent impression of their pup. To qualify for the competition, you must share a photo of your dog and explain why you want the tat.
Winners will be chosen by employees at BARK, and the brand’s website boasts that their crew contains the “most dog-obsessed humans on the BARK payroll.” This competition will ensure they get to meet the most dog-obsessed people in the country to boot. Of course, with only 100 winners across the nation, the competition will prove steep in this dog-eat-eat event.
By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: Pet Supply Company Offers $150 Toward Dog-Inspired Tattoos
Death’s Undeniable Presence In Portugal’s Chapel Of Bones
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
A visit to Évora, Portugal’s Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) comes with the chilling preface: “Nós ossos que aqui estamos, pelos vossos esperamos,” which translates as “We bones are here, waiting for yours” (via Atlas Obscura). Visitors pass under this dark message of mortality, posted above the chapel door, on their way into a one-of-a-kind tour of the macabre. The Chapel of Bones dates to the 15th and 16th centuries and earned its name by becoming the receptacle for human remains removed from 43 cemeteries in and around the city.
“We bones are here, waiting for yours.” Editorial credit: Cassia Bars Hering / Shutterstock.com
This removal of decaying corpses allowed for the freeing up of valuable land. It also inadvertently led to the creation of one of dark tourism’s number one travel destinations. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to visit this death-tinged destination, keep reading for the inside scoop on one of Portugal’s most visited attractions.
The Chapel of Bones’ Gruesome HistoryAfter the removal of remains from 43 different local cemeteries, monks serving in the city of Évora had their hands full… of dead bodies. But, of course, re-interring the bodies didn’t solve the problem of land use, and there was also the issue of having removed souls from holy ground. The last thing the monks wanted to do was condemn those once resting peacefully to damnation, which meant thinking outside the box. So, they decided to put the retrieved bodies on display in a church. Problem solved.
Editorial credit: Steve Allen / Shutterstock.com
Clearly, 16th-century people operated a little differently than we do today. Instead of concerning themselves with the public health issues associated with filling a building with rotted remains, the monks patted themselves on the back for their ingenuity.
They also reasoned that the Chapel of Bones could offer pilgrims a valuable place for meditation on the transience of the human experience. Surrounded by the inescapable presence of death, it represented a potent proposition that soon drew pilgrims from across Europe.
Drawing Inspiration from Decaying ItalyEver since the Italian Renaissance exploded onto the scene in Florence in the 15th century — spearheaded by incredible artists like Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo — Italy represented a hearth of European culture. And this proved no less true when it came to influences for Portugal’s Chapel of Bones. The monks who designed the bony displays sought inspiration from the San Bernardino alla Ossa in Milan, and in the process, they created a decadent design to death.
The Chapel comprises a small part of the larger Igreja de Sao Francisco, an otherwise bone-free church complex. Unlike the rest of the site, the Chapel of Bones boasts 5,000 bodies lining its walls, arranged in elaborate patterns. Of course, some of the individual corpses stand out more than others.
These include the desiccated bodies of two people hanging on the Chapel’s wall near the cross. The diminutive size of one of the bodies betrays a small child. Once upon a time, people believed the bodies were those of a father and son, but recent genetic testing has revealed them as a woman who likely died of a tooth infection and a two- to three-year-old girl, per Évora Portugal Tourism.
Credit: Patricia Feaster via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Leaving on a Light NoteThe theme of death in this joint can get a little heavy. Perhaps that’s why the monks who created the Chapel of Bones peppered the experience with thoughtful verses and quotes. These include a poem written by Father Antonio da Ascencao and translated by the Reverend Carlos A. Martins, which exhorts pilgrims to spend some time reflecting on a fate they will one day share with the bones.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. At the end of a tour of the Chapel of Bones, guests see two Latin phrases that translate: “The day that I die is better than the day that I was born” and “I die in the light.” Apparently, these were the monks’ idea of a happy ending.
How the Chapel of Bones ComparesPortugal’s Chapel of Bones is far from the only architectural achievement that incorporates skeletons into its construction, as Live Science points out. We’ve already mentioned the San Bernardino alla Ossa in Milan, but there are more. At the 17th-century Capuchin Crypt in Rome, visitors still turn out in droves to see the 3,700 decomposed bodies of Capuchin friars that line its walls. The building features rooms with catchy titles like “The Crypt of the Pelvises.” Another room contains skeletons posed with scales and scythes, symbolizing judgment and death.
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And if you’re simply after the most extensive collection of mortal remains in one location, there’s the Sedlec Ossuary in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic. Constructed in 1400, the Ossuary is decorated with the bones of more than 40,000 bodies and claims to contain holy soil from Jesus’ crucifixion location. It showcases elaborate crests crafted from fibulas, tibias, and femurs. But these bony installations came much later, designed by a woodcarver starting in 1870. So, while the Chapel of Bones may not be the largest or most elaborate display in the world, it’s one of the oldest and most impressive, rightly earning its place atop morbid tourism’s travel bucket list.
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By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com
SAY “NO” TO NORMAL Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Escape the Ordinary transports readers of all ages to a world beyond imagination — where truth is always stranger than fiction! Every turn of the page reveals all-new and all-true stories from around the globe. Filled with stunning photography and engaging content, this book is every curious reader’s ticket to Escape the Ordinary.Source: Death’s Undeniable Presence In Portugal’s Chapel Of Bones
August 29, 2022
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August 26, 2022
Best Kids’ Mullet In The U.S. Goes To Wisconsin 8-Year-Old
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
An eight-year-old from Wisconsin is throwing a party in the back after his quirky mane helped him beat out almost 700 contenders for 2022’s Kids Mullet Championship.
The Tennessee Top Hat. A Kentucky Waterfall. The Missouri Compromise. No matter what you call it, the mullet reigns supreme when it comes to outrageous hairstyles.
After noticing that the ’80s trend was making a comeback, men’s store owner Kevin Begola of Fenton, Michigan, founded the USA Mullet Championships, celebrating not only the asymmetrical hairstyle but also the lifestyle attached. Though bald himself, Begola has a lot of respect for the dedication it takes to rock such a daring coif.
“You think, ‘That guy over there, he’s been rocking a mullet for 20 or 30 years. Who is that guy?’” Begola told the Washington Post. “That’s one of those things you see in the wild and you’re like, ‘That takes commitment.’”
With 130 submissions, turnout for the event’s first year was nothing to sniff at, and interest in the championship has only increased in the following years. This year, 688 people submitted their ’dos in the kids’ division alone!
Finalists in this year’s child Mullet Championship. pic.twitter.com/KfOW8Wvg8R
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) August 18, 2022
There’s more than glory on the line for participants, who (much like their hair) have business on the forefront of their minds as they compete for a $2,500 grand prize. Submissions cost $10, with all proceeds going to the nonprofit Maggie’s Wigs 4 Kids of Michigan. In total, USA Mullet Championships was able to donate $3,500 to the organization!
While all of the submissions were pretty rad, Begola and other “mullet experts,” including a hair stylist, a past winner, and the “Godfather of the Mullet,” trimmed the pool down to 25 finalists before giving online voters a chance to mull-et over. Ultimately, eight-year-old Emmitt Bailey of Menomonie, Wisconsin, and his blonde mullet were declared a cut above the rest.
A big-time hockey fan, Emmitt (a.k.a. Mullet Boy) first asked his mom for the iconic chop after seeing several of his favorite players whipping their hair around the rink. Though she initially resisted, but his persistence eventually won over and she allowed him to buzz his bleach blonde hair — only in the front, of course.
A champion has been crowned in the 2022 Kid’s Mullet Championship https://t.co/3y5Ynow65x pic.twitter.com/rPmEQ2JDuW
— New York Post (@nypost) August 22, 2022
Begola believes that a combination of Emmitt’s bright blond transition from short and spiky to long, curly locks and wraparound neon Pit Viper sunglasses, which he says are “just part of his look,” sealed the deal.
When asked what he plans to do with his grand prize money, Emmitt remained committed to the mullet lifestyle, saying he plans to “buy a go-kart because I want to race.”
To the hundreds of achy breaky heartbroken kids that didn’t take this year’s top spot, you may want to start planning for 2023. Emmitt made it very clear that his mullet isn’t going anywhere soon, responding to a reporter asking if he would chop off his signature locks after the contest with, “Why would I do that?”
By Meghan Yani, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: Best Kids’ Mullet In The U.S. Goes To Wisconsin 8-Year-Old
August 25, 2022
Japan’s Cuddly Rabbit Island Has A Dark Past
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Around the world are countless animal sanctuaries where species can live in harmony. Off the coast of Japan exists a unique sanctuary: an island full of rabbits! The simply named Rabbit Island might seem like a cuddlesome paradise, but the island’s past and present have dark secrets that threaten the existence of its cute inhabitants.
Where is Rabbit Island?Rabbit Island is located on the small island Ōkunoshima in the Seto Inland Sea in eastern Hiroshima. Instead of Ōkunoshima, the island is often called Usagi Shima (Rabbit Island in English). The island is home to over 1,000 wild rabbits, who have plenty of fields and forests to explore.
Dark and Historical OriginsBut how do that many rabbits end up in one place? There are many rumors about how these cuddly creatures arrived, some more morbid than others.
The first rumor ties back to WWII when Ōkunoshima was previously used as a chemical munitions plant to manufacture tear and mustard gas. Despite the Geneva Protocol banning the use of chemical weapons in 1925, a loophole existed where these vile weapons could still be created and stored away. The rabbits were unfortunate test subjects for these experiments, brought to the island to determine the effectiveness of the weapons. The remaining rabbits got released by the workers following WWII’s end, left to survive in the wild.
Chemical storage area, Okunoshima, Japan. Via Wikimedia Commons.
However, Ellis Krauss, a Japanese politics professor at the University of California San Diego, disputed this rumor. In an interview with Krauss, he revealed that the Americans who liberated the island euthanized all the rabbits used for experiments.
So if those rabbits were gone, how did all of those bunnies end up on the island? Another rumor points to the antics of school children, who set free eight rabbits onto the island during a field trip. With no predators or hunters to disrupt them, the rabbits multiplied into the large population the island is known for today.
Can I Visit the Rabbits?Not only can you visit the rabbits, but you can also make an entire vacation out of it! Visitors can either take a boat in from the mainland for a day visit or stay at the National Park Resort Hotel, a vacation spot on the island. Visitors can interact with rabbits, bike around the island, sit in simmering hot springs, and even visit the chemical plants used during WWII, now converted into the Ōkunoshima Poison Gas Museum. It sounds like the perfect location for any couple’s bunnymoon.
Rabbit Island in Japan
pic.twitter.com/l8mh4tG39G
— follow me if you love japan ➐ (@japaxnn) October 10, 2021
The island has strict guidelines for the safety of its furry folk. Rabbit Island forbids tourists from chasing, holding, or taking a wild rabbit home. Tourists also cannot release their pet rabbits on the island, as the local rabbits are territorial and will not accept an outsider as one of their own. Rabbit Island also requests that guests refill water buckets around the island (more on that soon) and watch out for rabbits while biking or driving.
The Rabbits’ Dark SecretAt a glance, Rabbit Island seems like a paradise with a dark and historic past, but it also has a very present threat: the tourists themselves.
Due to the island not having enough vegetation to support its large population, rabbits rely on the tourists to feed them, resulting in inconsistent feeding times and bad diets. Rabbits are overfed on crowded tourism days and barely eat on bad weather days with little foot traffic.
Typically, a wild rabbit’s diet consists of leaves, plants, and seeds. However, tourists often bring carrots and cabbage to feed their new long-eared friends. Cabbage is deficient for rabbits since they have difficulty digesting it, and the food is too low in fiber for their dietary needs.
Food isn’t the only issue for the rabbits. Due to toxins from Japan’s experiments during WWII, the island’s groundwater got contaminated. This is why the island asks tourists to refill water buckets for the rabbits. All these factors culminate in a high turnover rate for the rabbits, only having a two-year lifespan.
Luck Be a RabbitDespite the dark secrets of Rabbit Island, the animals are very significant to Japan. In Japanese culture, rabbits symbolize luck, whereas the Japanese kanji for rabbit is similar to the kanji meaning “get rid of” or “vanish.” Hence, rabbits will make your bad luck go away!
Rabbits are also associated with fertility and rebirth due to their high reproductive rates. Rabbit Island supports this notion by encouraging those trying to start a family to visit the island to receive good fortune from its prosperous whiskered winners.
If you find yourself hoping over to Rabbit Island, remember to reflect on its hairy past and take steps to create a positive environment for the island’s rabbits and all of rabbit kind.
By James Whelan, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog
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