Matador Network's Blog, page 2261

On getting my bush waxed abroad

Photo: marsmet tallahassee

It’s not easy being hairy. I imagine it’s not so bad for men. It’s considered masculine — like chopping wood or eating 50 chicken wings. There’s nothing feminine about hair, unless we’re talking about the kind of long, luscious locks that flow endlessly from the crown of Rapunzel’s head. The enchanted tangled forest that weaves itself down her inner thigh is another story entirely, which is why I’m blessed to have grown up in Southern California where a bikini wax is as common as a Fair Trade organic Guatemalan soy latte. Unfortunately, I spend more time abroad.

* Note for the men: You’ve probably clicked this story by accident. Don’t be frightened. Keep reading. Think of it as an educational piece. Unless you’re a porn star or from LA, in which case you already know.

Koh Phangan, Thailand

I spent the morning wandering the sleepy beachside village in search of a decent bikini waxer. By the afternoon I dropped the word “decent” from my search, which was when I noticed another word hastily scribbled on a sign hanging in the window of a hair salon: waxing. I sauntered in hoping to be bikini-ready in time for a sunset dip. I wasn’t greeted so much as ignored by three Thai girls in hot pants. They talked animatedly while sipping brightly colored drinks from plastic bags and looking all of 12.

“Um, excuse me. You do waxing?” I asked, gesturing towards the sign. They stared at me like I was a talking elephant that had wandered in from the jungle.

“Waxing.” I pointed again to the sign. They sighed, seemingly annoyed that I was a customer interrupting their juice party.

“Okay, miss. Lie down,” said one of the tweenagers patting an old stained mattress on a table in the middle of the room. There currently weren’t any other customers in the place, but the front of the shop was still completely open to meandering passersby.

“Is there somewhere more private…” I looked around hopefully. She rolled her eyes, took a long noisy slurp from her bag, then locked the front sliding glass door, pulling the curtains almost closed.

“Okay, miss. We close shop for you,” she said as if doing me a huge favor to the detriment of her booming clientele. She returned and started laying newspaper on the bed. These were the same kind of sanitary conditions my Mom had used when our cat had a litter of kittens.

I really should have left, but I’m like a deer caught in the headlights of awkward situations. I dropped my pants and climbed on the bed. The newspaper crinkled under my bare bottom. Hot wax was soon slopped on my delicate skin and ripped with wild abandon. She continued her lively conversation with the other two girls who were lounging around the bed giggling. At one point my pint-sized child waxer hopped on the table and crawled through my legs to get better leverage. It did little good, as she still had to tug and pull sometimes three or four times. Since she didn’t use cotton strips, she’d ball up the used hairy wax and chuck it back in the saucepan to reheat. Best not to think about that bubbling little cauldron of strangers’ pubes now.

“Okay. Finish,” she hopped off and wiped her brow as if she’d just gone to war. My mutilated muff resembled a war torn battlefield. Bits of dismembered newspaper clung to the last vestiges of hair that refused to surrender. Exploded wax bombs stuck to my skin like shrapnel. Today would not be a beach day. Nope. Not today.

Madrid, Spain

My roommate Carmen informed me that it’s weird to have someone wax you. It’s more of a “do-it-yourself” type project. She sent me to El Corte Ingles, where there were two entire aisles dedicated solely to the pursuit of smooth, supple hairlessness. Maybe the Spaniards are on to something. It was time I took matters into my own hands. I grabbed a harmless looking box, determined to do something about my own shaggy box.

“Cuanto tiempo mas!” Carmen shouted, pounding on the bathroom door. I’d already been in there for two hours.

You should not undertake home waxing unless you’ve grown up as an acrobat and have spent your formative years contorting yourself into a water-cooler jug. There are just spots the normal gal can’t get to, no matter if you’re lying spread eagle on the tile floor, balancing precariously on the toilet lid, hoisting your leg over the porcelain sink, or upside down in the tub. I tried them all. You also have only a finite amount of time before the wax hardens. Then you, semi-naked covered in sticky goo, must bolt out of the bathroom and rush to the microwave to reheat the wax. You will always make it too hot, and unless you’re into that sort of thing, scalding wax is never a good time.

“No mas strips. Now what?” I shouted back to Carmen through the door.

“No es posible. You wash. Use again.”

I always found it endearing when Carmen switched to English. My mediocre Spanish mixed with her basic level of English gave our discussions an innocent childlike quality even while discussing such things as how to best strip your beaver bare.

“Es facil,” she finished in her grownup authoritative language. Easy? I looked into the overflowing rubbish bin and saw my molten mass of used waxy cloth strips melded together in a furry heap. While the environmentalist in me applauds this method, I was not about to actually attempt it, but I had only finished my right side, and I was lopsided. I guess I wouldn’t be going out with Javier tonight. Nope. Definitely, not tonight.

Pusan, South Korea

The New York Skin Spa looked condemned, but that didn’t stop my friend Mel and me from climbing the dank gray staircase to check it out. Empty green soju bottles and littered ramen packets paved the way.

A cheerful young Korean woman named Kristina opened the door. Her name wasn’t really Kristina. It was something like Min Kyoung, but she liked to go by Kristina. As she explained, it was very New York. She watched a lot of Sex and the City.

Surprisingly, the waxing room was clean, private, and not unlike the ones used back home. This might not be so bad. I dropped my pants and jumped on the bed. As I was getting situated, another young Korean woman entered. Kristina got on one side of me and motioned for the other girl to do the other side. I didn’t know if I was ready for a waxing threesome. Kristina began showing her what to do. I wasn’t even going to get a quality threesome. This was a training mission, and it didn’t even last long. Without warning they both left the room without bothering to close the door.

The entire situation was a little strange, not to mention drafty. The trainee soon reappeared with a blanket and spread it on the floor beside my bed. Is she going to nap? She’d be more comfortable on the sofa in the waiting room. Right behind her was Mel, who was instantly greeted by my exposed vagina, as the foot of my bed conveniently faced the open door.

“Whoa…” Mel said, backing away, covering her eyes in horror. I didn’t have time to wonder if I should be offended, because Kristina quickly returned, ready for business.

“Okay, lie down,” she motioned for Mel to lie on the blanket on the floor. “One wax pot. We do same time.” Kristina smiled, pleased with her efficient time-maximizing solution. Mel and I laughed nervously. They were going to tagteam us.

“Do you think they’re licensed estheticians?” Mel asked.

“I think your girl has never waxed bush in her entire life,” I answered truthfully. My experience in Korean saunas has shown me that Korean women appreciate more of a full-grown look. I doubt there’s much of a market in the waxing department for locals, so Kristina seized an opportunity: Bushy foreigners were her easy ticket to New York! Just slap it on and rip. They’ll pay loads for it.

Mel and I groaned and grimaced through the whole ordeal. It was a tad disconcerting having to listen to someone else’s waxing moans. As I lay there I started to think. Maybe it was time I quit this persistent battle against hairiness. I should embrace myself in all my wild, succulent glory instead of succumbing to some impractical Playboy myth. Bunnies are supposed to be fluffy; that’s why they’re so much fun to pet. Maybe, like my girl Rapunzel, it was time I just let down my hair.

“Arrrggggh.” I grunted through clenched teeth as Kristina gave a particularly forceful tug.

“Don’t be baby. Many hairs,” she commented casually. Yeah, maybe I should, but not today. Nope, not today.

The post On getting my bush waxed in various places around the world appeared first on Matador Network.

Slice a watermelon in 10 seconds

WATERMELONS REPRESENT THE start of summer for me, but I never eat enough of them because they are pretty time-consuming to take apart. This guy totally schools the watermelon-cutting process, providing me with some good pointers, but also terrifying me. My generation gets squeamish when confronted with a Chef Knife, and this guy, along the people who cut open coconuts on the beach with one slice of a machete, really prove that I’ll never be a badass when it comes to culinary arts.

On the bright side, looks like I’ve found a less-messy way to soak watermelon in vodka.

The post How to slice a watermelon in 10 seconds appeared first on Matador Network.

How to be a decent Facebook friend

Photo: Anthony Quintano

19 things you really shouldn’t be doing (and 6 we can live with).
What needs to go

1. Quizzes

I took a quiz called, “Who Did My Mother Give Birth To?” And I actually got myself. My mother apparently did not give birth to Samantha from Sex and the City, the color teal, or a fucking howler monkey, if you can believe it.

2. Cliffhanger status updates

Wait, why was that your “absolute LAST online date”? Why are you “NEVER” going to use a Dunkin Donuts drive-thru again? WHY DO YOU HATE MONDAYS???!!!

3. Selfies

It’s cool that you lost a couple pounds. I like your new haircut. Yes, that’s a very cleavage-revealing top. I would fucking agree with you if you just let me figure this shit out on my own. Stop shoving your hourly bathroom-setting selfies in my face and allow me to casually peruse your photo albums at my leisure.

4. Blatantly misguided political posts

Before you comment, “Planned Parenthood sucks,” on my friendly and informative video about women’s reproductive health, you’d better have at least three prestigious news sources to back your shit up.

5. Random poetry / song lyrics

Did you write this? What is this mumbo-jumbo about “going your own way” and “whiskey-scented lips” and “by and by”? Submit that to the New Yorker. Don’t put it on your Facebook status.

6. References to the nonexistent “love” button

It’s nice that you feel strongly about something in life. But I think it’s become clear that the “love” button does not and will never exist. Asking where it is or when Facebook will make one is no longer fresh and innovative material.

7. Relationship issues

Your significant other is just at work. You don’t need to write on his wall that, “Watching The New Girl just isn’t the same,” or ask, “Who’s gonna cook me my usual four-course meal? #bestboyfriendever.” These are private comments. Nobody cares about these except for you.

8. Updates on mundane life experiences

You’re eating an apple. Join the club.

9. Bad grammar

Your vs. you’re. It’s vs. its. Woman vs. women. They’re vs. there vs. the elusive their. These are the basics. Sometimes they get tricky, but come on now.

10. Grammar police

Alternately, you don’t need to be a pretentious dick. Get over yourself.

11. Comments about who that “fantastic!” photographer was

This is a really cute picture of a couple in front of a tree. I don’t care that you were there, and you took the photo. Please allow me to enjoy this without having to experience your desperate plea for acknowledgment.

12. Photos / status updates that exemplify your life being better than my life

Your boyfriend looks like Tom Brady. You woke up in Maui this morning. Your parents bought you a Mini Cooper. Good for you. I spend most of the day eating English-muffin pizzas in my PJs. Congratulations.

13. Memes

What are these, exactly? Keep calm and eat bacon? What is that?

14. Photo tags of a person’s amputated ligament halfway in the frame of a picture

I appreciate that you want to include me in a photo of an event I attended. You don’t need to tag a wisp of my hair.

15. Live updates on television programs that nobody cares about

Who is Adore Delano? Why do I care about her eye makeup?

16. A million photos of an airplane wing / your feet / a seashell

These reveal nothing of interest to me.

Photo: Brook

17. Game requests

Do I want to join you on a fantasy farm in the North Pole, where I can experiment with different animals, crop rotations, and lawn decorations? No, I do not.

18. Celebrity comparison photos

I know you love black V-necks, and you have very odd, stringy facial hair. You still don’t look like Keanu Reeves, I’m sorry.

19. Crass comments on somewhat wholesome photos

This is a photo of your friend innocently hiking on vacation. His grandmother just inquired about his whereabouts in the comments. Please do not use this same internet space to ask, “Yeah, where the fuck are you this time?” Use your head.

What can stay

1. Kickstarter campaigns

You’re trying to get free money from people. I can understand that.

2. Throwback Thursday photos

These are great because they usually involve the #bestlifeever people looking terrible in their younger years.

3. Interesting articles about actually important current events

You want to use the public arena to drop some smarts on the world. I like that. Keep it up.

4. Really trashy public arguments

Probably not the author’s smartest choice, but still very entertaining for the reader. These can stay.

5. One baby and/or pet photo per day

It would be better if you could get this over with in a combo baby-pictured-with-pet package deal. But I get it. Cute things are cute. Carry on.

6. Hilarious and/or inspirational YouTube videos

I’m a happier person now that I’ve watched this squirrel try to bury a nut in a Bernese mountain dog’s fur. Thank you.

The post 19 ways to be a decent Facebook friend appeared first on Matador Network.

Photo guide to the Pacific Coast Hwy

THE PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY, formally known as California State Route 1, is the ultimate road trip route, tracing the California coast for more than 650 miles from Mendocino County in the north to Orange County in the south. It’s designated an All-American Road for its scenic views, and it packs one heck of a path past some pretty rad attractions.

Here’s a guide to 7 must-see spots while road tripping the Pacific Coast Highway.

1. Glass Beach

The first item on the Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary is a cruise down to Fort Bragg Beach. Until a few years ago, it wasn’t even open to the public because it had been used as a dump. After a few decades of neglect, it was decided the beach should be cleaned up and reopened. The only remainder of its trashy past is the sand — it’s made of sea glass, former bottles pounded to bits and smoothed by the waves. As tempting as it may be, don’t take any souvenirs. As locals and travelers became aware of this shiny beach, they started to collect their own bits of the glass, slowly depleting the beach’s manmade beauty.

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2. Point Reyes National Seashore

Just before you reach San Francisco, stretch your legs at this protected beach point. Explore over 7,000 acres of rocks, grassy hills, and ocean, visit the lighthouse, or head right to the beach to wade in the waves. Just watch out for elephant seals (visible at the bottom right of the photo above).

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3. Golden Gate Bridge

A major advantage of the Pacific Coast Highway is that it takes you across this iconic American bridge. Spend some time in San Francisco and explore the city; from Fisherman’s Wharf to Alcatraz, there’s something for food lovers, history buffs, and everything in between.

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4. Moss Beach Distillery

If you’re an avid Unsolved Mysteries fan (let’s be real, who isn’t?), then you may be familiar with this restaurant — it’s haunted by a ghost from the Prohibition era who has been nicknamed “the Blue Lady” and has been featured on the show. Plus, it’s located on a cliff above a gorgeous secluded beach, so, y’know, there’s something for those who don’t go for the paranormal stuff.

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5. Bixby Bridge

Welcome to Big Sur! This open-spandrel arch bridge offers stunning views of the coast. It might look familiar, since it’s been used in multiple commercials and TV shows. A drive across Bixby is an easy reward for making it this far along the coast, and the view…did we say it’s stunning? ‘Cause hot damn, this is just beautiful.

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6. Hearst Castle

When newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst died, his epic estate was left to no one. Rather than let it fall into disrepair (becoming one of the coolest abandoned places EVER), California State Parks have kept it looking like a private residence. While no one actually lives there, it’s a pretty sweet house/museum. Just look at the insanely awesome indoor pool!

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7. Santa Monica Pier

Spend a day at this historic pier before you drive the final leg of the Pacific Coast Highway to Capistrano Beach. Take a spin on the historic carousel, sit at the soda fountain, see some fishy friends at the aquarium, or just enjoy the beach and the people-watching.

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The open road. That’s what it’s all about. Driving down long stretches of asphalt, pulling over at a local diner for some grub, and discovering the most incredible roadside wonders. Roadtrippers is a simple but powerful road trip planner that helps you discover, plan, & book your adventure.

The post Pacific Coast Highway: The quintessential California road trip appeared first on Matador Network.

23 signs you’ve stayed at a hostel too long

Photo: Chris Zielecki

1. You can’t remember the last time you used shampoo or shower gel that actually belonged to you.

2. You know exactly what time you have to wake up in order to get the maximum amount of oatmeal that constitutes the “complimentary breakfast” each morning.

3. You’ve hooked up with at least one of the hostel staff members.

4. You’ve outstayed at least one of the hostel staff members.

5. Despite the fact you’re paying by the night, you’ve been subtly moved into the long-term dorm.

6. You’ve developed a basic understanding of at least one foreign language that another group of travelers in the hostel speaks.

7. You can give directions to anywhere in the area without thinking twice.

8. The sound of strangers snoring has become something of a lullaby to you.

9. You’ve eaten at least one disgusting leftover from the communal food cupboard that you’d never admit to anyone.

10. You know exactly which bunks are the most and the least prone to bedbugs.

11. You’re beginning to derive a sick pleasure from watching others choose the loosing mattress of the bedbug lottery.

12. You’ve become accustomed to a sleep schedule that revolves around naps. You get the most shuteye in the afternoon hours when everyone else is out exploring.

13. You’ve become a regular at all the restaurants and cafes on the street, especially those that have wifi.

14. You don’t even bother learning the names of other travelers anymore. You know that another group will replace them soon enough, and that you’ll all get along just the same.

15. You miss having a clean bathroom more than you miss all your friends and loved ones combined.

16. The phrase “I’ll be under you tonight” has absolutely no sexual connotation to you anymore.

17. You’ve been asked “So where are you from?” so many times you’ve begun making up different answers every time just to mess with people.

18. You only know what day of the week it is based on which activities are taking place in the hostel bar or lounge.

19. You know exactly which communal areas you need to avoid after 1am if you don’t want to walk in on an awkward hookup.

20. The smell of dirty feet is an almost welcome indication that you are home at the end of a long day.

21. You scout potential hookups at the bar based on who looks like they might have an actual home you could crash at.

22. Your mind is beginning to wander to other places you could go and other countries you could experience.

23. One day you finally do it. You shell out three dollars for the internet, fire up the good old hostel search engine, and click on the first place listed under “List by Price: low to high.” It’s time to move on, and you know it.

The post 23 signs you’ve stayed at a hostel too long appeared first on Matador Network.

22 images of Glass Beach, CA

I remember going to the beach as a kid and combing for seashells with my mom — the groans of disappointment when a seemingly perfect prize was broken, the oohs and aahs of excitement when small treasures were unearthed by the rushing current. Our favorite discoveries were sea glass — blue, green, or amber, smoothed and fogged by endless turning in the sand. I couldn’t believe something so sharp and scary, something to be avoided in parking lots and on sidewalks, could become so soft and precious.

I can’t imagine what my past self would have done had I ever gone to Glass Beach in MacKerricher State Park (near Fort Bragg, California). A series of three beaches on the Pacific coastline pebbled entirely with sea glass instead of sand? It would have been like discovering a pirate’s legendary stash, and I can picture myself greedily shoveling fistfuls of the jewels into my pockets. Of course, this special place has a bittersweet history — the glass is not naturally occurring. In fact, until 1967, the trio of beaches were known to the local population as “the dumps,” and were the place where residents of Fort Bragg dumped their garbage (usually by dropping it over the cliffs above). Eventually, the mess had become so substantial they attempted to alleviate it by setting it all on fire (which, of course, didn’t work). So the government stepped in and closed the site to the public. Over the years, several cleaning projects were carried out, but in the end it was nature, the endless ebb and flow of the tide, that smoothed the jagged edges and transformed something terrible into something truly beautiful.

In 1998, the private owner of the site decided to share it with the world, and after a thorough review by the state of California (and a little last-minute sweeping and scrubbing), this sparkling bit of real estate opened back up to the public in 2002. To me, one of the great beauties of Glass Beach is that it’s transitory — it will only be here until nature washes it clean for good.

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The post 22 stunning photos of California’s Glass Beach appeared first on Matador Network.

Got an ugly city? Encourage graffiti

Sao Paulo, Brazil, is not known for being Brazil’s most beautiful city. Architecturally, it’s fairly uninteresting, and the landscape isn’t breathtaking like that of Rio de Janeiro.

But it is known for its graffiti and its street art. They’ve created a new initiative called Color + City that allows people with a free, boring wall, to post it on their website, and then the site rents it out to local artists, or just random local people who want to try their hand at street art. The initiative, which has spread to several other cities in Brazil as well as cities in North America and Europe, allows pretty much anyone to take part in the beautification of their city.

As a street art fan, I’m absolutely thrilled to see initiatives like this: I’ve lived in several neighborhoods with thriving street-art communities, and it always adds a distinctive flair to your home that makes it feel more personal, more yours. If you are an artist or if you own a wall, check it out. This needs to be everywhere.

The post Live in an ugly city? Encourage graffiti appeared first on Matador Network.

Stories of conservation: Costa Rica

EDITOR’S NOTE: Filmmaker Eline Postma was one of three winners of the Storytellers: Costa Rica competition put on by Contiki, world leaders in youth travel, in association with Matador.

Eline and the other winners traveled to Costa Rica in early April to participate in Contiki’s Costa Rica Unplugged tour, during which they visited the Tortuguero Sea Turtle Conservancy, walked above the cloud forests of Monteverde, and connected with celebrated environmental activist Celine Cousteau. Together with Contiki Cares, these storytellers are spreading the message of conservation and respect for our planet, and Matador is proud to support them.

The post Telling the story of conservation: Costa Rica appeared first on Matador Network.

World's 14 most notorious mafias

Despite what Hollywood says, organized crime is a lot more about maintaining a smoothly functioning illegal global economy than it is about explosions and cement overshoes.

Its top money-making industries are drug trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling migrants, illegal firearms, and weapons, trafficking in natural resources (like diamonds), illegal trade in wildlife (including poaching), the sale of fraudulent medicines, and cybercrime.

So where and who are the world’s most notorious mafias?

1

Yakuza
Also known as Gokudo, these Japanese and Korean organized crime syndicates are almost mainstream. They have office buildings, business cards, and frequently show up in gossip columns of newspapers. Identifiable by their black suits and the missing tips of their little fingers (lopping them off to show contrition to your boss is known as yubitsume), Yakuza are often involved in politics and corporate boards of directors. They were also among the first to respond with relief efforts after the 2011 tsunami.
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2

18th Street Gang
Also known as the Children's Army because they recruited elementary and middle school children, the 18th Street Gang (or M-18) is one of the largest gangs in the Northern Hemisphere. They are said to have a membership of more than 30,000 in the US alone, with a home base in Los Angeles. One of their rival organizations is MS-13 (further down this list), and they are known to have connections to the Mexican cartels and some smaller Central American crime rings.
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3

Mungiki
A terrifying group that is part terrorist organization and part religion, Mungiki (which means "multitude" in Kikuyu) favours rejection of all Westernization and a return to traditional values. While they are currently active only in Kenya, they run extortion rackets in the slums of Nairobi and control the taxi industry, beheading and mutilating anyone who crosses them...sometimes also lighting them on fire. The police in Kenya often treat Mungiki suspects to violent retributive behaviour.
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Intermission





39 places we’ll be hearing a lot about in 2014





30 of the world’s most beautiful bridges [PICs]





23 of the world’s most insane caves that you can explore [PICs]


















4

Russian Mafia
Now officially the scariest organized crime group, a former FBI Special Agent called the Russian Mafia “the most dangerous people on earth.” They may have as many as 300,000 members across 450 groups, and are well known for having elaborate and hierarchical tattoos. They frequently use military tactics, and their most common activities are terrorism, organ trafficking, and contract killing.
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5

Hells Angels
Considered an organized crime syndicate by the US State Department, the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is best known for riding Harley Davidsons and having an almost mythical history of crime attributed to them. The official policy of the club is that they are motorcycle enthusiasts and any crimes committed are the fault of individual members, not club policy; pop culture, such as the 1966 film The Wild Angels, depicts them as ruthless, violent criminals. Members of the gang have been associated with drug trafficking, sex work rings, and extortion.
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6

Sicilian Mafia: La Cosa Nostra
Despite being a young mafia (it started in the second half of the 19th century), the Sicilian and American Cosa Nostra ("Our Thing") rapidly became the most feared organized crime group wherever they settled. Strictly family-based and hierarchical, the group is very ritualized and has elaborate initiation ceremonies that are open only to Sicilian men. They follow omertà, a code of silence and secrecy; failing to do so results in execution.
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7

Albanian Mob
There are over 15 clans that control the bulk of Albanian organized crime. The highly organized and rigid structure of their mostly family-based system has resulted in Albanian mafia cells spreading globally, with a focus on drug trafficking, human trafficking, and arms dealing. They are quick to violence and one of the godfathers, Daut Kadriovski, has been identified as the biggest heroin dealer in Europe.
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8

Serbian Mafia
Composed of multiple groups in Serbia and the Serbian diaspora, the mafia was seen by many Serbs as a way out of the crushing economic aftermath of the Yugoslav Wars. With active cells in 20-30 countries, the organization is best known for drug trafficking and gun-running, although several Serbian bosses in Madrid made headlines in 2009 when they killed and ate a recalcitrant member after running him through a meat grinder.
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9

Montreal Mafia: The Rizzutos
The Rizzuto family organized crime syndicate is mostly based in Montreal, but spreads across southern Quebec and Ontario. They built up connections to New York's Bonanno family (part of the notorious "Five Families" of the US Cosa Nostra), which eventually led to a vicious mafia war in Montreal in the late 1970s. The senior levels of the family were decimated first by a police sting and then by numerous assassinations, leaving a power vacuum. The Rizzuto family owns most of Montreal's construction contracting.
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Intermission





89 of the world’s most mind-bending 3D chalk drawings





21 examples of you-fall-you-die photography with the world’s most insane skywalkers





15 of the most haunted places in the world [pics]


















10

Mexican drug cartels
Although the Mexican drug trafficking organizations have existed for decades, they rose to greater power with the demise of the Medellin and Cali Colombian cartels. Drug trafficking now makes up approximately 63% of Mexico's economy, and is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths. The "war on drugs" has resulted in dangerous and violent retaliation from the cartels; more than 20,000 people have disappeared, and an investigation into mass graves found a staggering 24,000 corpses. Rape, kidnap, and torture are endemic, and cartel members are often armed with military-grade weapons, like rocket launchers and the ubiquitous AK-47s.
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11

Mara Salvatrucha
Often shortened to MS-13, this gang of mostly Central Americans is based in Los Angeles, although they have spread to elsewhere in North America and Mexico. They are notoriously violent, and were recruited by the Sinaloa cartel to help with enforcement. The gang is reported to have over 50,000 members, who are distinguished by their large tattoos, often on the face and chest, and their distinctive hand signs.
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12

Colombian drug cartels
Until 2011, Colombia was the world's top cocaine producer, but a strong anti-narcotic campaign has resulted in the dismantling of many of the most dangerous producers, such as the Medellin and Cali cartels. At their peak, these cartels hired engineering experts from Russia and the US to help with their trafficking. The disappearance of the larger groups left Colombia's organized crime landscape fractured and vulnerable to manipulation and attack by guerrilla groups and both Colombian and US governments.
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13

Chinese Triads
Triads are a loose name for Chinese organized crime groups, who received the name from British authorities as a reference to the triangular symbol they use (the character "hung" inside a triangle). The US government estimates they smuggle up to 100,000 undocumented people into the country every year, and they are also particularly active in counterfeiting money. The hub for Triad activity is Hong Kong.
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14

D-Company
This group based in India, Pakistan, and the UAE is led by Dawood Ibrahim, an internationally wanted man (and Bollywood star) whose activities go from extortion up to terrorist acts like the 1993 Bombay bombings, which killed 257 people and injured over 700. Ibrahim is said to have ties to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and D-Company is funded with billions of dollars from legitimate businesses (including real estate and banking) as well as illegal activities. Currently on the run, Ibrahim is said to have undergone extensive plastic surgery.
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The post 14 most notorious mafias in the world appeared first on Matador Network.

How to piss off a Bulgarian

Photo: Yovko Lambrev

As a Bulgarian who loves to travel, I have been asked some ridiculous questions from people I’ve met along the way. I often get questions like, “Is Bulgaria a tropical island?” and “Do Bulgarians have TVs in their homes?”

Generally, Bulgarians are very warm people, and they can cope with many stereotypes and ignorant questions, but there are some things that can easily upset us. So if you really want to get on the nerves of a Bulgarian, follow this advice.

Talk about politics.

While in Bulgaria, or in the Balkans in general, it’s better to avoid talking politics. People are very passionate about this topic, and you never know who you will offend. A true Bulgarian seems to know everything about governing a country, and is a real political expert, so better not mess with that.

Ask us what language we speak.

Okay — I understand you don’t have to know this, but Bulgarians are very proud of their language. Not knowing that the official language is Bulgarian can make some people pretty mad.

Ignore the fact that the Cyrillic alphabet was invented in Bulgaria.

There are many people who claim that the Bulgarians “borrowed” the alphabet from Russia because — let’s face it — who would ever think the Cyrillic originated in a small country like ours? However, the early Cyrillic alphabet was developed in the First Bulgarian Empire by Cyril and his brother Methodius.

Leave your shoes on when you go inside a house.

If you happen to visit a Bulgarian family, you need to ask for permission to leave your shoes on. In most homes it isn’t acceptable to enter the house with shoes on your feet. The host might not tell you straight away, but be assured they will be pissed off when cleaning up the mess you left.

Scarf down your meal at dinner or lunch.

Bulgarian people like to enjoy, and prolong, their dining experience. When you’re out at a restaurant, it isn’t all about the food — it’s mainly a social experience where you just happen to be drinking and eating. It usually lasts more than two hours. If you’re visiting a family in their home, prepare yourself for even more time at the table.

Mix up the yes/no head shake.

In Bulgaria, nodding your head up and down means NO, and shaking your head sideways indicates YES. Do not try to tell us it’s the other way around, because we are pretty sure our way IS the right way. Practice this before traveling to our country (you’ll thank me later).

Imply that some of our national heroes and historic figures are Macedonians.

Now, this is a sensitive topic for both countries. It leads to the first point again, where it’s better not to talk politics. I will say, though: We may have some issues with the Macedonians, but deep down inside we love each other.

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