A Cautionary Tale For The Holiday Tightwad
It certainly is nifty to be thrifty with the holidays upon us. After all, today's penny pinching could result in tomorrow's bountiful celebration.
There is, however, a need to be vigilant when it comes to being a tightwad. No, this is not the opening to a retelling of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." This is a real-life tale that is as suitable today as it was when it occurred nearly 80 years ago.
This story involves two strangers: one, a man of few means, who sought to escape his impoverished life; the other, a woman who had the means to live life comfortably, but denied herself all its amenities.
These two vastly different people had few things in common in life, but a strange twist of fate forever linked them in death.
A one-time popular stop in New York was the Horn and Hardart, a nickel-in-the-slot cafeteria. It was there on one fine day in 1933 that a female guest stopped in during the mid-morning rush but was apparently in no particular hurry to leave. It soon became painfully obvious to those around her that something was seriously wrong. The woman, or as the papers of the time period referred to her -- the "dowdy old dame" -- had grabbed her chest and fallen over backwards in her chair.
When a doctor from Knickerbocker Hospital arrived on the scene, he found the woman to be deathly ill. As he ordered her into an ambulance, a man came running over, alerting him that another patron was lying on the ground in front of the basement restroom.
When the doctor examined the man, he found him to be too far gone and the man died just minutes later. The woman did not fare much better and was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Investigators were presented with a mystery worthy of their fictional counterpart, Sherlock Holmes. How had these two people died? Were they connected? Was this a double homicide or was there some other explanation?
Authorities were able to identify both of the victims. The man was Harry Jellinek, a 50-year-old automotive mechanic from Manhattan. The woman was Lillian Rosenfeld, a 43-year-old woman who lived on West 104th Street.
Jellinek was a down-and-out businessman who had borrowed $150 from the bank when the Great Depression hit and was unable to pay it back. As a result, he was facing the foreclosure of his home and business. He had a wife and an 18-year-old son who was attending college.
Rosenfeld, whom writer Billy Rose described in the Charleston, S.C. News and Courier as a "harmless old bat," was known as a bum who would scavenge through garbage bins for food. Local residents told police she was always begging for food and complaining she was poor.
Both of the victims had been seen eating seeded rolls at the automat, but other than that similarity, it seemed clear to detectives that neither of the two victims knew each other or had anything in common. They took into account Jellinek's money woes and then conducted a search of Rosenfeld's $7-per-month basement apartment. It was there that they stumbled upon something interesting.
Rosenfeld, as it turned out, was far from penniless. She had, in fact, inherited $15,000 when her father died some years prior and still had much of the money in her bank account, along with more than $40,000 in investments -- quite a hefty sum for the time period. Why she chose to live the life of a pauper and sleep on a broken bed with no mattress was anyone's guess.
"[She was] a chiseler," an unidentified law enforcement officer told The New Yorker. "Probably hasn't spent a penny on food in 10 years -- any penny but that seven bucks a month."
When the coroner completed the autopsies on Jellinek and Rosenfeld, he was surprised to discover that both of them had died from cyanide poisoning. Using this information, investigators were able to locate a chemist who claimed he had sold Jellinek $3 in cyanide on the day of the deaths. Obviously, detectives had to wonder if Jellinek was a killer who had taken a life before claiming his own, but that scenario didn't sit right with detectives, so they decided to return to the crime scene.
When investigators interviewed employees of the automat, they discovered that Rosenfeld would regularly frequent the outdoor cafeteria and swoop down on any meals that were left unfinished or unattended.
Piecing the puzzle together, investigators surmised that Jellinek, fed up with his financial problems, had decided to end his own life by sprinkling the cyanide he had purchased on his seeded bread roll. Unable to finish it before becoming violently ill, he left the roll on the table and ran down to the restroom, where he was later found.
Detectives further surmised that Rosenfeld had seen Jellinek leave his half-eaten roll on the table, and the delicacy proved to be too tempting for her to resist. She sat down and finished it, unknowingly ingesting the poison herself.
Temptation, as is often the case, proved to be a devil in disguise.
So, while there is no shame in being frugal, you should take special care that your penchant for a tight fist does not shuffle off this mortal coil sooner than intended.
STRANGE, BUT TRUE PHOTOS:
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Baobab Tree Sculpture
Mike De Butts adds the finishing touches to a giant Baobab Tree sculpture entitled 'Under the Baobab', outside the Southbank Centre on May 24, 2012 in London, England. The Pirate Technics' installation is made from a selection of brightly coloured fabrics from around the world, and is part of the Southbank Centre's 'Festival of the World' exhibition, which includes a series of large scale pieces of art that will be in place around the Southbank centre over the Summer.
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My Little Ponies
Some of Sarah's ponies. Sarah Butler, 28 from Barnsley, Yorkshire has been collecting 1980's My Little Ponies for 24 years and now has over 1,000 of them as well as having a themed room in her house including My Little Pony curtains, bedspread and other collectables.
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Rapunzel Hair
Natasha Moraes de Andrade, 12, is nicknamed Rapunzel because her hair is more than 5 feet long -- just one and a half inches shorter than her height. In March, she planned to cut and sell the locks for some $2,600 to help get her family in Rio De Janeiro out of poverty.
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Moscow City Lights
Swirling colors of city lights from a 900ft crane fill the Moscow skyline. Photographer D. Chistoprudov boards the crane, which is being used to build a skyscraper called Federation, and takes pictures over a period of two hours. Chistoprudov, 28, starts taking the swirling snaps around 1am and battles freezing weather to remain completely still so not to ruin the careful process. (Caters News / ZUMA Press)
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iPoo
The sleek design, the impressive functionality, the distinctive logo - was it only a matter of time before Apple redesigned the humble toilet with the iPoo? The iPoo is literally a case of toilet humour and Belgrade designer Milos Paripovic makes the tongue-in-cheek claim his work isn't intentionally related to the Apple brand.
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Tamaseseri Festival
Naked men wearing only loincloths vie for a wooden treasure ball weighing eight kilos to bring good fortune, during the Tamaseseri festival at Hakozaki shrine in Fukuoka, on Japan's southern island of Kyushu on Jan. 3, 2012. Two teams of farmers and fishermen competed for the rich harvest or largest catch at a festival that dates back some 500 years.
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Snow Church
Visitors stand around a snow church just after its inauguration on Dec. 28, 2011 in Mitterfirmiansreut, Germany. The circa 25 meters long church was made of 1,400 cubic meters of snow and aims to commemorate the winter of the years 1910/1911, when so much snow fell that believers of Mitterfirmiansreut were no more able to go to church in the neighboring community of Mauth. So they decided to build their own church, made of snow. (Armin Weigel, AFP / Getty Images)
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Snow Church
Visitors stand around a snow church just after its inauguration on Dec. 28, 2011 in Mitterfirmiansreut, Germany. The circa 25 meters long church was made of 1,400 cubic meters of snow and aims to commemorate the winter of the years 1910/1911, when so much snow fell that believers of Mitterfirmiansreut were no more able to go to church in the neighboring community of Mauth. So they decided to build their own church, made of snow. (Armin Weigel, AFP / Getty Images)
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Heine Braeck, 33, from Sarpsborg, Norway, has been without an right arm since he lost it during a freak accident when he was 13. Now he has decided to make the stump look like a dolpin's head with the help of Bulgarian tattooist Valio Ska.
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Giant Slipper
A man who ordered a special slipper to fit his oversized foot was sent a size 1,450 - after manufacturers failed to spot a decimal point in his order. Tom Boddingham, 27, has a size 13 right foot while his left is slightly bigger and measures a size 14-and-a-half. But when he ordered his custom-fit slipper manufacturers in China misread size 14.5 and accidently made a whopping 7ft long size 1,450
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Eight-year-old girl is world's youngest drag racer
Eight-year-old girl Belle Wheeler has become the youngest drag racer in the world -- just two days after her eighth birthday. The pint-sized dragster then went onto compete against youngsters more than twice her age and qualified for the UK National Finals.
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Lawn Mower Endurance Race
Competitors race in the 12-hour Lawn Mower Endurance Race on September 24, 2011 in Billingshurst, England. First started in 1973 as a motorsport that would be accessible to as many as possible, this year's competition included more than 30 teams including some from South Africa, America and Luxembourg.
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Pumpkin Art
An employee arranges pumpkins to form a fish at the pumkin exhibition of the asparagus and experience farm Buschmann and Winkelmann in Klaistow near Beelitz, northeastern Germany on August 31, 2011. The exhibition will start on September 1 , 2011, with over 100,000 pumkins in 400 different varieties.
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Cable Car High Wire
High wire artist Freddy Nock balances as he walks up on the rope of a Zugspitze cable car in Grainau near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2011. Nock walked up the 995 meters long rope with an altitude difference of 348 meters aiming at collecting money for the UNESCO. He is attempting to set a new world record by doing seven summits in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in seven days. It took him about 90 minutes to arrive on top of Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany.
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Third Story Exit
A 16-ton salt spreader blasted through the fifth-floor wall of a Queens Sanitation Department garage and came within inches of plummeting 50 feet to the street. The driver survived the spectacular 9:30 am crash, which sent bricks and debris raining down on cars parked outside the Maspeth repair facility, but spent 15 terrified minutes dangling in the cab of the bright orange vehicle. It's unclear how driver Robert Legall, a 10-year Sanitation veteran with a clean record, lost control of the big rig. "There are signs up there warning drivers to slow down," Commissioner John Doherty told the New York Post. "He's familiar with the rules. We think it was just an unfortunate accident."
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Speed Record Spins Out
Driver Joe Wales crashes through the surf after veering off course during an attempt on the British land speed record for battery-powered vehicles in the Bluebird Electric on Pendine Sands on August 14, 2011 in Pendine, Wales. Driver Joe Wales and his father, fellow driver Don Wales, come from a famous family who have been setting land and water speed records since 1924. Don holds the current UK record of 137 miles an hour in an electric vehicle.
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Giant Cabbage
Harrogate Autumn Flower show Director Martin Fish with a giant cabbage, as he introduced a series of new classes for Giant Vegetables to mark the 100th Anniversary of the Show. Giant onions, tomatoes and many others will all compete for the top prize of the biggest vegetable.
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Keep Claer
An incorrectly spelled "Keep Clear" road marking is pictured in Kingswinford, on August 3, 2011 in West Midlands, England.
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Etna Volcano lava
Lava spewed from a crater of the giant Etna volcano in the southern Italy island of Sicily on July 30, 2011 in Catania. The lava flown into a valley overnight and did not represent a danger to inhabited areas. Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe at 3,295 metres (10,810 feet) which last eruption was in May.
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Killer Plant Eats Bird
An exotic plant expert was stunned when he inspected one of his garden pitcher plants and discovered it had eaten a blue tit. Prize winning Nigel Hewitt Cooper one of Britain's leading carnivorous plant growers, from West Pennard, Somerset, couldn't believe his eyes when he checked the Nepenthes x mixta or Monkey Cup pitcher and found the dead bird inside. Normally the plants which are native to south east Asia consume insects which thy attract by secreting a sticky, sweet fluid at the bottom of the pitcher. Sometimes in the wild they have been known to kill small mammals like mice but Mr Hewitt Cooper who regularly wins prizes at the Chelsea flower show says for a cultivate plant to capture a bird is incredible.
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Giant Mermaid
A man adjusts a sculpture "Giant Mermaid" on the Alster lake in the northern German city of Hamburg on August 1, 2011. The sculpture is created by art and advertising agency headed by Oliver Voss.
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Huge Pastry
People look at a huge khachapuri (Georgian cheese pastry) in central Batumi on July 28, 2011. The cake was baked using 100 eggs, 90 kilograms of cheese, 150 kilograms of flour, has 8 meters length and was eaten within 1minute 32 seconds by people at a street.
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Velomobiles
Velomobiles, recumbent bicycles with sleek, colorful outer shells, head for the open road in Portland, Ore., Thursday, July 28, 2011. Twenty five riders from Europe and twenty five riders from North America are on a cross-country trip which will finish on the U.S. Capitol steps in Washington D.C. on August 26. The bikers are trying to spread the message that sustainable, clean transportation can be fun.
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Bobblehead Bishop
Erie Catholic Bishop Donald W. Trautman has been immortalized in miniature with a bobblehead doll made in his likeness. The bobblehead comes as Trautman prepares to end his tenure as bishop of Erie.
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Canadian bubble artist
Canadian bubble artist Yang Fan, who has set world record by packing 118 people inside a soap bubble, performs at the Gazillion bubble show in Beijing on July 19, 2011. Yang has earned international acclaim as a result of his complex displays of "bubble theater". In addition to performing he has developed his own bubble solution formulas and equipment to create bubbles.
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Giant Marilyn
Newly-wed bride Magda Villasenor looks at "Forever Marilyn", a sculpture by Seward Johnson, on July 15, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The stainless steel and aluminum sculpture, which stands 26 feet tall and weighs 34,000 pounds, will be on display in Chicago through the spring of 2012. The sculpture was inspired by Marilyn Monroe's iconic scene in the 1955 movie "Seven Year Itch".
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Hot Dog Hot Rod
The iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile vehicle is seen outside of the New York Stock Exchange as part of its day-long 75th birthday celebration, Monday, July 18, 2011. To commemorate the milestone, the Oscar Mayer brand rang the closing bell at NYSE. (Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Oscar Mayer)
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Harry Potter Corn Maze
An aerial view of Top Pearsy's Maize Maze in the shape of Harry Potter, on July 11, 2011 in York, England. Farmer Tom Pearcy has cut two portraits of Harry Potter in his crop of maize plants. With some subtle differences the two images create the world's largest spot the difference competition. At over 50m in diameter, and cut out of over 1 million living maize plants, the York Maze is the largest 'Maize Maze' in Europe and one of the largest in the world.
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Recycled Sailboat
A sail boat made of recycled material makes its maiden voyage to mark World Oceans Day in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, June 8, 2011.
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Pontiac Deluxe Six 'Ghost Car'
An extraordinary transparent car could fetch as much as GBP 295,000 when it goes up for auction.The motor, dubbed the 'Ghost Car', is a Pontiac Deluxe Six which has been covered in Plexiglas. The first transparent full-sized car to be made in America, it was built in 1939 by General Motors and chemical company Rohm and Haas. Billed as a vision of the future, it was a sensation at the 1939-40 New York World's Fair and continues to cause a stir today. Just two were ever made and this model, which has a three-speed manual transmission, is thought to be the last of its kind. It has clocked up just 86 miles in its lifetime; and now its set to go on sale for the first time since the early 1980s. It last sold for an undisclosed amount. American auctioneers RM expect it to sell for between $275,000 and $475,000.
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Serbian Brides Race
Serbian women take part in a wedding dress race in downtown Belgrade on June 19, 2011. More than fifty "brides" took part in an annual wedding dress race in the Serbian capital, competing for numerous prizes. (Andrej Isakovic, AFP/Getty Images)
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World Naked Bike Ride
People take part in the annual "London World Naked Bike Ride" event in central London on June 11, 2011. Now in it's eighth year, the event has seen participation grow from 58 in 2004 to 1,200 in 2009. Taking a route that passes many of London's most famous landmarks, the ride allows those participating to decorate their body with messages of protest against oil dependancy and motor vehicle usage.
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Hanging Around
British artist Alice Newstead hangs by shark hooks during her demonstration to protest against shark slaughter in Hong Kong on June 14. The protest was organized by marine conservation group Shark Savers, and supported by Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics who are launching a global campaign to protect the sharks.
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Reptile House
Diska Putra, holds one of his snakes in bed at home on June 10, 2011 in Bintan, Indonesia. Putra, 24, cohabitates in Indonesian with a collection of 30 snakes, some of which are deadly poisonous.
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Monkey God
An Indian priest walks outside the temple of Hindu monkey God Hanuman in New Delhi early June 12, 2011. The highly popular monkey-god Hanuman known for his strength is worshipped for his unyielding devotion and selfless dedication to the Lord Rama.
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Big Baby
Ron Mueck's 'Big Baby' sculpture is displayed in front of Jenny Saville's painting 'Interfacing' at the Masterpieces Exhibition at Christie's on June 13, 2011 in London, England.
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Drunken Knight
A would-be knight who tried to woo a maiden by riding into her home on a horse is facing five years behind bars for aggravated burglary. Lovelorn Jan Rudnicki, 40, hatched the scheme to bowl over divorcee Gosia Domoslawska after a night's drinking down his local bar in Jarnoltowka, Poland. But terrified Gosia, 36, dialed 999 when her drunken suitor - stripped to the waist - galloped up her garden path and smashed his way through the front door like a battering ram.
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Sideshow Fat Man Dies
Bruce Snowdon, the last sideshow fat man, was honored in a memorial service on Jan. 30, 2010. Snowdon performed as "Harold Huge," and weighed 607 pounds (though by some billing he tipped the scale at 712 pounds). Here he is with fellow sideshow star Peter Terhurne, a fire-eating dwarf.
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So, What Do You Do For a Living?
Mexican tattoo artist and trained lawyer Maria Jose Cristerna, known as "Vampire Woman", attends the Fifth International Tattoo Convention in Bogota, Colombia, on June 4, 2011.
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It's All Fun And Games...
A Sufi Kalandar (wandering ascetic) performs an act of self torture during devotion at the annual death anniversary of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, India on June 2.
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Indian spiritual guru Swami Baba Ramdev
Indian spiritual guru Swami Baba Ramdev performs yoga during his hunger strike at the Pitanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar, some 240kms from New Delhi, on June 7, 2011. India's embattled prime minister on June 7 defended a police crackdown on a peaceful anti-graft demonstration led by a famous yoga guru, saying authorities had been left with no choice.
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Kwok Mang Ho
Chinese artist Kwok Mang Ho performs during the 54th International Art Exhibition in Venice on June 1, 2011. The Biennale entitled Illuminazioni that will open to the public from June 4th to November 27th 2011, in the Giardini and the Arsenale exhibition venues, as well as in various other locations around the city.
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Chinese Cabbage Art
These glamour models look good enough to eat but will not turn your girlfriend green with envy - because they are made entirely of cabbage. Artist Ju Duoqi created the bizarre sculptures for her project called "The Fantasies of Chinese Cabbage". Every body part is made from the vegetable. Ju is from Beijing, China. Pictured, some of Ju's work, made from cabbage leaves. This is entitled: 'An' (Ju Duoqi/Solent News & Photo Agency)
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Chinese Cabbage Art
These glamour models look good enough to eat but will not turn your girlfriend green with envy - because they are made entirely of cabbage. Artist Ju Duoqi created the bizarre sculptures for her project called "The Fantasies of Chinese Cabbage". Every body part is made from the vegetable. Ju is from Beijing, China. Pictured, some of Ju's work, made from cabbage leaves. This is entitled: 'Susan' (Ju Duoqi/Solent News & Photo Agency)
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For Patriotic Babies
An unfinished crib figurine showing President Barack Obama holding the head of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in one hand and making the victory sign with the other hand is displayed on May 2 in a traditional crib shop in Naples, Italy.
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This Is Your Customs House On Acid
The Sydney Customs House building is transformed with a 3D digital projection by Australian company "The Electric Canvas" as part of a media preview on the eve of Vivid Sydney on May 26. Now in its third year, Vivid Sydney is reportedly the largest light and music festival in the Southern Hemisphere.
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Gumball Rally
Members of Welsh stunt group "Dirty Sanchez" prepare to set off from Covent Garden in central London on May 26 at the start of the Gumball 3000 Rally 2011. The rally sees owners of classic and high-end supercars drive from London to Istanbul, covering the 3000 miles over 7 days. Competitors must pay a $40,873 entrance fee before being allowed to take part.
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Turn Your Partner
Contestants dance in the 'Schuhplattler' style of Bavarian folk dancing for the Bavarian Lion Award at the Huosigau Heimat and Folklore Society on May 28 in Weilheim, Germany.
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Quackers Aweigh
Shipwright Christian Bohlin steers his duck shaped boat across Stockholm harbour on May 27, 2011. The duck, one of two novelty boats built by Bohlin, contains two sleeping cots, a kitchenette and a sauna in the bow will be up for sale at the forthcoming boat expo in Sweden for around $58,000.
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Say What?
A gallery employees poses next to an installation by US artist John Baldessari entitled 'Beethoven's Trumpet (With Ear)' at the Saatchi Gallery in central London on May 26.
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Car Art
An employee poses next to an installation by German artist Dirk Skreber entitled 'Untitled (Crash 1) and Untitled (Crash 2)' at the Saatchi Gallery in central London on May 26. Forming part of 'The Shape of Things To Come: New Sculpture' exhibition, it is to be displayed from until mid-October.
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Car Art
An employee poses next to part of an installation by German artist Dirk Skreber entitled 'Untitled (Crash 1) and Untitled (Crash 2)'at the Saatchi Gallery in central London on May 26, 2011.
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Fun and Games
Filipino children try to empty cups of flour by blowing into them through straws in a parlour game during the annual Feast Day of St. Rita of Cascia in a suburb of Manila, on May 22.
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Cat IS The Hat
A man carries a cat atop his head while walking past the building where former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Khan is being held under house arrest after posting bail, in New York, May 25, 2011.
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Erik Sprague, aka Lizardman
Erik Sprague, aka Lizardman, says he had horns embedded in his skull in 1999 as part of a body based art piece he began in 1994 that is designed to explore the idea of what it means to be human.
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Barcode Oprah
Artist Scott Blake from Omaha, Nebraska has attracted attention with his portraits created from barcodes, such as this one made from the ISBN codes on books in Oprah Winfrey's Book Club. He sent a 60-inch poster of this portrait to Oprah, but never heard back from her.
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Goldfish Helmet
American Artist Eric Staller preforms with his creation, 'Fish-O-Vision' at Carre Senart Leisure Center on April 1, 2011 in Lieusaint, France.
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Fish Train Art
An installation artwork titled "Leviathanation," by Huang Yong Ping, features a giant fish head made from fiberglass, stuffed animals and a train. It's on display at a gallery in Beijing.
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Knit Ferrari
Using 12 miles of yarn, artist Lauren Porter has crafted a life-size Ferrari.
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Junk Mail Artist
Phoenix artist Sandhi Schimmel Gold may be the world's only junk mail artist. Each of her portraits, such as this one of "Access Hollywood" host Billy Bush, is made from postcards, menus and catalogs sent to her in the mail.
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Adzookie House
A California advertising agency will cover your mortgage for up to one year, if you are willing to cover your house in advertisements. Adzookie is soliciting applications from homeowners who need help paying their bills. In exchange, homeowners must let Adzookie decorate their houses with logos and social media icons -- as illustrated in this artist's rendering of a home participating in the promotion.
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Zombie Man
When Rick Genest decided 10 years to turn his body into a piece of tattooed art resembling a cadaverous zombie, he had no thought of the future. However, his unique look has gotten him jobs with French clothing designer Theirry Mugler and pop star Lady Gaga as well as a part in an upcoming Keanu Reeves film.
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Real Brain Exhibit
Nicole Briggs looks at a real human brain being displayed as part of new exhibition at the @Bristol attraction on March 8, 2011 in Bristol, England. The Real Brain exhibit - which comes with full consent from a anonymous donor and needed full consent from the Human Tissue Authority - is suspended in liquid with a engraved full scale skeleton on one side and a diagram of the central nervous system on the other and is a key feature of the All About Us exhibition opening this week.
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Upside Down House in Germany
Do you feel like your whole world has been turned upside down? Then you'll feel right at home in Germany's "Crazy House," an amazing work of upside-down architecture. This stunning structure in Bispingen, Germany, features inverted rooms furnished like a typical home -- only all of the fixtures hang over your head.
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Lambo Smash
In China, a man fed up with a Lamborghini Gallardo he bought smashed it to smithereens with a sledgehammer. The destruction of this pricey Italian sports car was meant to recognize World Consumer Rights Day.
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E.T. Firewood
Pete and Sylvia Burford noticed that this piece of wood cut has a face like E.T. on it. A pensioner, Pete Burford was chopping wood when the face of the alien from Steven Spielberg's hit 1980s blockbuster stared back at him.
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Headless Ronald McDonald
The head of Ronald McDonald lays in a basket after its "execution" in Helsinki at the hands of a group of artists and activists. Kidnappers who call themselves the "Food Liberation Army" snatched the fast-food clown from a Helsinki McDonald's on Jan. 31 and said McDonald's officials could save the mascot's life if they answered a number of questions. Finnish police rescued the doll earlier this week and reportedly arrested two members of the Food Liberation Army. But the group had prepared its own Ronald McDonald, which it executed with a guillotine on Feb. 11.
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Hot Air Darth Vader
Spectators stand in front of a partially inflated balloon of "Star Wars'" Darth Vader before its flight during the 16th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in the Philippines' Clark Freeport Zone, in Pampanga, on Feb. 10. Hot-air balloon pilots from various countries are taking part in the annual event that was started in 1994 at the former U.S. military air base and continues to attract hundreds of spectators every year.
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Screw Art
When artist Andrew Myers makes a painting, the subjects of his portraits get screwed -- literally. Myers, a sculptor based in Laguna Beach, California, turns screws into three-dimensional portraits. Myers likes the industrial aspect of using screws and turning something that is "harsh" into something soft like a portrait.
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Coin Made From 84,000 Pennies
A cash-strapped Michigan mom turned 84,000 pennies into a priceless work of art. After going through a difficult period in which she was forced to pinch pennies, Wander Martich decided to create this massive 1-cent piece, which was recently acquired by Ripley's Believe It or Not.
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Amapo Fashion
A model presents a futuristic-looking creation by Amapo on Jan. 29 during the 2011-2012 fall-winter collections of the Sao Paulo Fashion Week in Brazil.
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Smalles Shoes
A model demonstrates mini shoes in Hong Kong, south China, Jan. 20, 2011. Thirty-five pairs of mini shoes were displayed in Hong Kong Thursday including the world's smallest pair that measured 3.8 millimeters long, 1.8 millimeters wide and 2.2 millimeters high.
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Cold Water Championships
Swimming at the Cold Water Championships isn't easy -- no bull. Competitors put on wacky costumes, like these horns, before swimming laps in the frigid waters at the Tooting Bec Lido in south London. Reports indicate that the water was about 37 degrees during this year's event on Jan. 22.
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Big Tennis
Henri Leconte of France plays a stroke with an oversize racquet as he partners Patrick Rafter of Australia during their legends doubles exhibition match against Wayne Arthurs of Australia and compatriot Pat Cashon during the sixth day of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on Jan. 22.
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The Last Lint Supper
Want to make a masterpiece? All you need is an artistic mind and a lot of dirty laundry. Laura Bell of Michigan has created a lint replica of Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper." By repeatedly laundering brightly colored towels, Bell was able to obtain enough vivid lint to construct the 14-foot by 4-foot work of art, which was recently acquired by Ripley's Believe It or Not.
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Russian Rabbits
Russian performers dressed as rabbits wait backstage during rehearsals for a Chinese New Year (Year of the Rabbit) television show at Beijing Television (BTV) studios in the capital on Jan. 11.
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Hook Eagle Morris Men
The Hook Eagle Morris Men dance on the pavement outside the Waggon and Horses pub during the annual Wassail night in Hartley Wintney, 40 miles west of London. The event, held near to twelfth night, celebrates both the passing of Christmas and the future good health of the fruit trees. Traditionally the custom involved the local farm workers visiting the orchard after dark with shotguns, horns, food and a large pail of cider.
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Horny Old Goat
You don't have to be devilish to have a horn on your head. China's Huang Yuanfan, 84, says that over the past two years, a small bump on the back of his head has turned into a horn that's nearly 3 inches long. "Doctors say they don't know what caused it, but if they try to take it off it will just come back," he told the press. "I try to hide it beneath a hat, but if it gets much longer it will be sticking out the top."
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Creepy Crawlies Unite
A sand sculpture titled "Lair of the Spider Queen," carved by Baldrick Buckle from the U.K., is seen at the Creepy Crawlies Sand Sculpting Exhibition on the Frankston waterfront in Melbourne, Australia, on Dec. 26, 2010. International sand sculpture artists from around the world teamed up with their Australian counterparts to create the insect-themed exhibition, which will be open to the public until April, 2011.
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Frozen Lighthouse Becomes Ice Sculpture
There's lake-effect snow -- and now there's effect ice. A lighthouse in Cleveland has become encased in a thick layer of ice thanks to chilly temperatures and lake spray kicked up by a major storm on Lake Erie. This striking image shows the Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Lighthouse almost entirely encased on ice on Dec. 14. Though the wintry lighthouse is beautiful, the frozen beacon isn't nearly as effective -- it's reportedly hard to see because of all the ice.
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Sistine Chapel Miniature
Who says bigger is better? French retiree Jean Massa poses next to his tiny model of the Sistine Chapel in a church in Nice, France. Less than one-thirtieth the size of the famed Vatican chapel, Massa's miniature re-creation measures just 4 feet 9 inches by 2 feet 4 inches. It took him 5,000 hours over four years to complete.
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Frosty the Giant Snowman
Frosty has met his match. This giant snowman, named Milocinek, stands more than 30 feet tall near the town of Trzebnica, Poland. Constructed by a group of builders over six days, the massive snow sculpture -- photographed on Dec. 11 -- is about the same height as nearby houses.
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Giant Egg
Patricia Mae, of Seven Sisters, South Wales, was left shellshocked after her chicken laid a monster, 4-inch-long egg last month. At first the 69-year-old thought her husband James was joking around when he told her about the large egg. The massive lay can most be appreciated when the egg, which is almost 2 inches wide, is laid next to a normal sized one. "We're quite surprised that whichever chicken laid it is still alive."
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Naked Apartment
According to Alec Baldwin's character in "Glengarry Glen Ross," real estate brokers should always be closing. According to Berlin activists Hedonist International, real estate renters should always be disrobing. Protesters in Germany have been scheduling viewings of apartments they consider overpriced, then stripping naked for impromptu dance parties.
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Tree-Cycling in Australia
A tree made of recycled bicycles is the centerpiece of The Rocks, a shopping district in Sydney, Australia.
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Solar Movie Theater
Now you can enjoy movies -- on the small screen. England's tiny Sol Cinema is a miniature movie theater that's powered entirely by the sun. With space for eight adults, the small theater uses solar panels to gather and store the energy it needs to screen movies.
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Largest Jesus
A crane lifts the head of what will be the world's largest statue of Jesus Christ in Swiebodzin, Poland, on Nov. 6. Dubbed "Christ the King," the massive statue rises 170 feet above the town. Construction was finished over the weekend, and Father Sylwester Zawadzki says the statue will be officially consecrated on Nov. 21.
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Flying Wing
Swiss pilot Yves Rossy, the first man in the world to fly under a jet-fitted wing, speeds through the air performing a looping after launching from a hot air balloon on November 5, 2010 above Bercher, western Switzerland. Rossy jumped out of a hot air ballon at about 2,000 meters height.
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Not Cool Igloo
Refrigerators are supposed to keep things cool, but a German artist is using them to make things hot. Ralf Schmerberg created an igloo with 320 refrigerators called the "Power Eater" in Hamburg, Germany, on Nov. 1 to draw attention to energy use and climate change.
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Underwater Scooter
Can't swim but still want to scuba dive? No problem. HydroBOB, a submersible scooter created by Andrew Sneath of West Palm Beach, Fla., can stay submerged for 70 minutes and typically operates at fixed depths of between 10 and 25 feet.
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Zombie Walk
Men dressed as zombies walk through the central business district during the Sydney Zombie Walk on October 24, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. The Sydney Zombie Walk saw participants travel a route through the business district starting and culminating at Sydney's Hyde Park.
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World's Fastest Power Wheelchair
This isn't your grandma's wheelchair -- it's the world's fastest powerchair. British plumber Colin Furze broke the record with a 70mph run.
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Bacon Kevin Bacon
J&D Foods, a company that sells all things bacon, recently commissioned artist Mike Lahue to build a life-size bust of Hollywood actor Kevin Bacon entirely out of bacon. Now, the masterpiece is being auctioned off on eBay for charity and Kevin Bacon has never looked so delicious.
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Landscapes From Food
British photographer Carl Warner is getting a taste of fame thanks to photos of landscapes that contain nothing but food. The sails on this Chinese Junk are made of dried lotus leaves, while the hull is made from cinnamon sticks. The waves are a mix of bok choy, kai choy and Savoy cabbage.
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Ballsy Fashion
Spanish designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada walks on the catwalk during the Madrid Cibeles Fashion week on Sept. 19 in Madrid.
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Job-Snatching Robot on Display
The HRP-4 "slim athlete" robot shows off its moves during a joint press conference by Kawada Industries and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Tsukuba, Japan, in September 2010.
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Napping on a Pillow Tie
Tired office workers can now fall asleep at their desk in comfort - using a new necktie that contains an inflatable pillow. The Pillow Tie is available in over 60 stylish designs and looks just like a normal tie when deflated and worn with a suit.
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Does Size Really Matter?
Seventeen-year-old Khagendra Thapa Magar, from Nepal, is the smallest known person on Earth, standing just 22 inches tall. Londoner "Tiny Iron," 28, from Tottenham, has an incredible 280-pound frame. His enormous biceps measure 24 inches in circumference - bigger than most people's thighs!
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Smallest Handwritten Koran
Lebanese Muslim Hassan Abed Rabbo inspects with a magnifiying glass what he says is the smallest handwritten complete version of the Koran ever made, at his house in Beirut on Sept. 2, 2010. The 2.4cm x 1.9cm Muslim holy book which Abed Rabbo inherited from his great grandmother dates back to the Ottoman era and contains 604 pages decorated with gold ink.
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IKEA Vikings
This photograph of a boatload of vikings isn't a still from a Capital One commercial -- it's an image taken during a recent gathering of the Norse Hollywood Dining Vikings. The group of viking enthusiasts regularly dress up in viking garb and pillage Los Angeles eateries. They've raided IKEAs and even commandeered a Duck Boat in Long Beach, Calif., to raid a Red Bull Flugtag event.
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A Piercing Personality
Elaine Davidson, the world's most pierced woman according to the Guinness Book of World Records, performs on the Royal Mile as a statue during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
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Elvis Pencil Carving
Here is Elvis Presley carved from a single pencil lead, complete with his shades. Many artists have used pencils to create their works -- but Dalton Ghetti creates masterpieces on the tip of one. The Connecticut carpenter spends several months painstakingly crafting each work on the graphite of a pencil.
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Giant Lederhosen
After some Oktoberfest revelry, aren't these the perfect lederhosen? These 15-foot breeches, tailored by Walter Sinnhofer, are said to be the largest pair of the traditional leather shorts. They were fashioned from 80 square yards of cowhide.
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Coat Hanger Christ Sculpture
Lily Cao, 7, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, views a sculpture made from coat hangers that depicts the crucifixion of Jesus. The sculpture, by artist David Mach, is displayed in Parliament Square outside St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland.
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Scubster
Tired of spinning class? The Scubster -- a new pedal-powered submarine -- might be your answer. Stephane Rousson of France takes this underwater vehicle for a spin in the waters near Nice, in southeastern France.
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PETA Protest
Fresh human meat for sale! Animal rights activists say meat is murder -- and buying a steak is no different from buying a corpse. So they covered themselves in fake blood and wrapped themselves in plastic, like meat sold at supermarkets, for a New York City protest on July 27.
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Obama Duck Egg Art
Now President Barack Obama really has egg on his face. Indian artist Harwinder Singh Gill shows off his newest creation -- a portrait of Obama that he carved into a duck egg shell.
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Extreme Cellists
Extreme Cellists play on top of Ben Nevis mountain in Scotland in 2008. The Extreme Cellists are undertaking a two-week, English coast-to-coast walk for charity, carrying and playing their cellos as they go.
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Beer Bottled In Dead Animals Raises A Brew-Ha-Ha
At $770 a bottle, BrewDog's "The End of History" is the most expensive beer ever made. It's 55 percent alcohol, and if that's not enough of a kick, each bottle is sold in a preserved animal's hide.
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Bearded Fashion
Models wait during preparations for the spring/summer 2011 fashion show of German designer Patrick Mohr at Berlin Fashion Week on July 9.
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30-Foot-Tall Eyeball
Artist Tony Tasset unveils his eye-catching 30-foot-tall sculpture "Eye" in Pritzker Park on July 7 in Chicago. The giant piece will be on display at the small downtown park through Oct. 31.
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Superhero
Hibiki Kono of Cambridge, England, is sucking up lots of media attention because of a wall-climbing device he invented that uses two 15-pound vacuum cleaners. You don't have to ask this kid who his favorite superhero is. Not surprisingly, it's Spider-Man.
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Rainbow Bacon
Neil Caldwell has brightened the world's breakfast plates with the invention of rainbow-colored bacon. Everybody knows bacon makes everything taste better. Now, it makes everything look better, too.
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DoodyCalls
Steve Wilson found some dirty money while working for DoodyCalls Pet Waste Removal in St. Louis. On a recent call, he spotted some money sticking out from a pile of doggie doo. He cleaned the bills, put them in a plastic bag and returned what turned out to be $58 to the customer. Now, dog owner Karen Linn is putting the cash on eBay in hopes of raising money for the Humane Society of the United States.
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Cheese Sculpting
Sarah Kaufmann says mild cheddar is the best for sculpting but has made sculptures using harder cheeses as well.
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Ant Self Portrait
Chris Trueman's self-portrait, made entirely of 200,000 dead harvester ants, has been purchased by Ripley's Believe It or Not! and will be displayed in a Ripley museum.
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Dirt-Eating Woman
Fan Qianrong munches on soil on April 13. The 48-year-old resident of China's Hebei province says she has stayed healthy for more than four decades by eating dirt.
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Lethal Bra
"Hands up", an art work by Brazilian artist Miguel Sanchez, is on display at the exhibition "The Bra: The Battle Continues - Campaign Against Breast Cancer" in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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Intestine Inflation Time
This might look like a balloon, but it's actually an intestine. The Ukrainian woman shown here Jan. 30 was partaking in the Pigs Carvers Festival in the Transcarpathian village of Gecha. Inflating a pig's intestine is part of the process by which blood pudding is made.
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Big Baby
All babies are beautiful, except maybe this one. Thank goodness this is not a living infant. It's a silicon and fiberglass sculpture by Australian artist Ron Mueck. It went on display at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 31, 2010. This work is called "A Girl."
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/19/gps-tourists-australia_n_1363823.html?1332181105" target="_hplink">GPS Fail</a> At around 11 am on March 15, three Japanese tourists followed their GPS' directions straight into Moreton Bay, Australia.
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
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Posted: 12/23/11 03:57 PM ET