Midget Throwing Contest

 The Midget Throwing, or Dwarf Tossing, originated in Australia in the 1980's. A bar attraction in which dwarves wearing special padded clothing or Velcro costumes are thrown onto mattresses or at Velcro-coated walls, participants of the contest compete to throw the dwarf the farthest.

Dwarf tossing is widely considered to be offensive to the dignity of dwarfs, and some legislators have considered bans. Proponents of the sport have criticized such moves, with some arguing bans deny dwarfs a possible source of income.

Air Guitar Championships

 Since 1996 the annual Air Guitar World Championships contest has been a part of the Oulu Music Video Festival in Oulu, Finland. The idea of the contest was originally coined as a joke (in which the performers pretended to play rock or heavy metal-style electric guitar solos) meant only to be a side attraction for the music video festival.

The first on-off air guitar competitions have been organized in the early 1980s in Sweden and in the United States. With rules such as “No back-up bands – air or real – are allowed” and “Competitors may finger pick or strum with either electric or acoustic – but all ‘real’ instruments are banned”, it’s obvious that these guitar heroes take the competition quite seriously. In 2008, the gold winner was Craig “Hot Lixx Hulahan” Billmeie from the US.

Extreme Ironing World Championships

 The Extreme Ironing World Championships started in Leicester, UK in 1997, and is an exciting and dangeous sport where anyone who would like to participate should be ready for ironing a few items of laundry, preferably on a difficult climb of a mountainside, ice or under water.

The description on the official Extreme Ironing Bureau does the sport some justice: "It is an outdoor activity that combines the danger and excitement of an 'extreme' sport with the satisfaction of a well pressed shirt. It involves taking an iron and board (if possible) to remote locations and ironing a few items of laundry. This can involve ironing on a mountainside, preferably on a difficult climb, or taking an iron skiing, snowboarding or canoeing."

World Sauna Championships

 The World Sauna Championship takes place in Heinola, Finland every August. This championship was started in 1999. Competitors from over 20 countries take part in the competition at their own risk, and have to sign a form agreeing not to take legal action on the organization. The competitors must sit in a 110° sauna and half a liter of water is added every 30 seconds. They must sit erect with their thighs and buttocks on the seat. They cannot touch any surface with their hands and forearms have to be in an upright position and must stay on their knees. The person who sits longest is the winner.

World's Ugliest Dog Contest

 The World's Ugliest Dog Contest takes place every year at the coliseum in Petaluma, California, U.S., to decide which of the dogs entered in the contest is the ugliest. Along with the title of "The World's Ugliest Dog", the winner's owner gets a USD $1,000. The winner of the 2007 World's Ugliest Dog was Elwood, a Chinese Crested-Chihuahua mixed breed dog owned by Karen Quigley, a resident of Sewell, New Jersey. 2008's winner was also a Chinese Crested, Jeanenne Teed's Gus. He is hairless, with three legs and one eye.

World Beard and Moustache Championships

 This beardy weirdy competition gives rise to thousands of carefully coiffed men, all vying for the title of most inventive and perfectly sculpted facial hair. Entrants include bearded renditions of the Golden Gate Bridge, Buckingham Palace, or just plain whacky handlebar creations. The next competition will be held on May 23, 2009 in the City of Anchorage, Alaska. Don’t forget your scissors.

Miss Russian Army

 What could the Russian Army do to get good publicity and to recruit more man? The Russian Defense Ministry decided to throw a beauty contest, so in June 2005, nineteen female soldiers and sailors participated in the competition (entitled "Beauties in Shoulder Straps"), which was broadcast on live television. The event included the soldiers walking down the catwalk in uniform and singing songs while accompanied by guitarists (a memorable lyric included the phrases, "Since we're soldiers, our first concern is automatic weapons; boys come second"). Other events, shown on film, saw the contestants competing in drills, crawling in combat uniform, entering tanks, and running with automatic weapons. The jury ultimately gave the title to Lieutenant Ksenya Agarkova, an engineer with Russia's Northern Fleet.

The World Black Pudding Throwing Championship

 The bizarre contest celebrates the ancient rivalry between Lancashire and Yorkshire and attracts people from far away as Australia to the small town of Ramsbottom. The aim of the game is to throw a Black Pudding that has been 'swaddled' or wrapped in a pair of ladies tights at collection of Yorkshire Puddings ( if you don't know, do a search on the web for the recipe, this is a Lancashire site) on a plinth 20 feet up on the side of the pub wall. To a competitor standing on the 'Golden Grid' introduced by a member of the media in 2001 for pictorial effect, it's a difficult task as only an underarm throw can be used.

World Conker Championships

Worm Charming Championship

 What could bring together hundreds of people, TV camera crews and funny dressed up men with WORMS? It could only be the Worm Charming competition, of course! Charmers came from all over the world to take part in 30 minutes of muddy madness - banging, tapping and stabbing the ground with pitchforks to entice the worms to the surface.

The World Worm Charming Championship started in 1980 and is now an annual event that celebrates the sport. It was organized by then-headmaster John Bailey, who wrote the original rules for the competition. The current world record, as listed by Guinness World Records, was established at that first event with teenager Tom Shufflebotham collecting 511 worms in 30 minutes.

The Catacombs of Paris - Paris, France

Overcrowding in medieval cemeteries in the centre of Paris at the end of the 18th century led the government to the creation of subterranean mass graves. Over the course of 18 months, from 1785, the bones and rotting corpses of 6 million people were moved in large carts across the city at night to a new resting place. Here they are arranged in huge piles at the ‘Empire of Death', as it is commonly known. This network of about 200 miles ofunderground galleries contains millions of bones and the small part that is open to the public is certain to shock. 

The human bones - including countless skulls - are arranged in many configurations such as crosses, faces, wall ornamentation, or simply huge mounds. Not for those of a nervous disposition. 

 Coober Pedy - South Australia

Coober Pedy is one of the most unusual places in the world. It is a town where (due to the heat) approximately 80% of the population live and workunderground. This is a mining town - opal mining to be precise - and following the early discovery of opals here by a teenager there has been a huge influx of miners since 1915. There are tunnels and associated pitfalls everywhere and mining still goes on here today. Other subterranean structures operating in the same manner as an above ground equivalent include a church, shops, pottery, art gallery, hotel, and other assorted offices and businesses. Most unusual of all must surely be the golf course where not a single blade of grass can be seen. The fairways are bald and the greens are oiled sand! 

 Batu Caves - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

To reach the entrance to the massive Batu Caves you have to climb 272 rock steps, which can prove strenuous in the heat and with macaque monkeys vying for your attention; but this is exactly what over a million devotees do every January to celebrate the spectacular Hindu Festival of Thaipusam. This is a colourful celebration of Lord Subramaniam, a Hindu deity of youth, power and virtue, and is not for the squeamish. It may seem strange and bizarre to outsiders who see grown people piercing steel hooks into their chest, back and face, but this is one of the ways in which many penitents express their devotion. It is said that because they are in trance they cannot feel any pain. Surely a million people can't be wrong. 

 Radon Health Mine - Montana, US

The Radon Mine was originally used as far back as 1924 for silver and lead ore mining. In 1949, the by then abandoned mine was found to have the presence of radioactivity, and a visiting woman (for the purpose of stock investment) discovered her ailment had disappeared. Word spread and soon this was turned into a radon-therapy mine. Low dose radiation therapy is said to be beneficial in easing a multitude of ailments and even pets are treated in the radon-laden air here. They advise you to bring a blanket and pillow if you would like to sleep. Whatever next. 

 Wieliczka Salt Mine - Krakow, Poland

This World Heritage Site is remarkable and is certain to astonish visitors as there is no comparable place in the world quite like it. The Wieliczka Salt Mine has been mined continuously since the Middle Ages and miners have carved elaborate underground rooms and intricate sculptures within the Miocene salt. There is a gigantic subterannean cathedral carved entirely from salt including the floor, walls and decorations, with even the glowing chandeliers being made from salt crystals. 

The Salt Mine in Wieliczka has always been extremely popular, from the 14th century when it was shown to the very privileged royal visitors, to today where a million visitors a year pour in to see the labyrinth of chambers, passages, and incredible structures made of salt. 

  Capuchin Catacombs - Sicily, Italy

There are numerous places to view mummified bodies if you are so inclined but the Capuchin Catacombs are without doubt the most gruesome place inthe world to see them. Frequently referred to as the ‘Museum of Death' - and not without good reason as there are over 8,000 mummies dating back to the 16th century lining the walls of the catacombs here - this place is eerie, sombre and intriguing. The most bizarre aspect of it all is that they give off no smell whatsoever. The assembled ranks of the dead, many with quite elegant costumes that have decayed over the years, are mainly skeletons - although some still have mummified flesh, hair, and even eyes. 

A law passed by the Italian government in 1881 meant the catacombs were no longer allowed to continue with this mummification process, although special permission from the government saw the interring of a 2 year old child called Rosalia Lombardo in 1920. She is known as the ‘Sleeping Beauty' and it is said that her sister and other members of her family often visited her after her death. Her body is still perfectly intact to this day and she can be seen propped up in a glass case. 

 Milk Grotto Chapel - Bethlehem, Israel

The legends surrounding the Milk Grotto Chapel are many and varied and this is the place where, according to Christian tradition, the Holy Family took shelter during the Slaughter of the Innocents by Herod's soldiers. It is said that whilst Mary was breast-feeding the baby Jesus some of the milk was spilt onto the floor. This is supposed to have made the rock crumble and, as this was the milk that fed the Son of God, a remarkable pilgrimage cult has grown alongside the legend. Mothers - both Christian and Muslim - journey here to buy packets of the powdered white stone of the grotto which is said to increase the quality and amount of milk created by lactating mothers, by putting the powdery white stone into drinking water. As the white chalky rock resembles the colour of milk this seems reasonable, but in reality any benefits gained should be attributed to the calcium in the rock. Others take the rock home to place under their bed, but wouldn't it be easier, and cheaper, to simply order a few extra pints from your milkman? 

 Ithaa undersea restaurant - rangali island, maldives

Ithaa Undersea Restaurant is the first ever all-glass undersea restaurant inthe world and its distinctive feature is the curved acrylic walls and roof which are 125mm thick. There are 5 of these acrylic arches which are sealed to each other and the structure with a special silicone sealant, and the structure itself was built in Singapore before being shipped to the Island on a massive barge; the barge being equipped with a giant crane to lower it into position in the sea. Incredibly, the structure weighed 175 tons, and a further 85 tons of sand was added to the belly of the structure to sink it into the sea. 

The project cost $5 million to complete which means an astronomical amount of dishes have to be served up to recoup investment costs. Submerged 16ft below sea level the restaurant offers panoramic underwater views, providing diners with a face-to-face experience of the stunning beauty of the Indian Ocean. 

 Waitomo Glow-Worm Caves - Otorohanga, New Zealand

A journey unlike no other you will ever experience is a subterranean boat trip into the spectacular Glow-worm Grotto of Waitomo Glow-worm Caves in New Zealand. The Waitomo network of limestone caves attracts up to a million visitors a year and their guided tour takes you through over 250 metres of stunning underground scenery. The acoustics in the Cathedral Cavern are world renowned, whilst other impressive cave formations include the Pipe Organ, Catacombs, and Tomo, which is a deep limestone shaft. 

The Glow-worm Grotto (as it is known) is spectacularly illuminated by a phenomenon known as ‘bioluminescence' which is produced by the females to attract males whilst in the final stage of their pupal development. Without this magnificent display the cave would be pitch-black. This cave has been known to the Maori population for centuries but it was only in the late 19th century that it was discovered by Europeans, and subsequently opened to the public in 1911. 

 London Dungeon - London, England

London Dungeon is Europe's largest ‘dark' visitor attraction and is appropriately sited under the bleak, foreboding arches of London Bridge. It is certainly not for the faint-hearted and visitors see torture, execution, and macabre medieval madness along the way. The Dungeons are some of Europe's premier themed attractions offering visitors the opportunity to take a terrifying journey through the darker side of history. The Great Fire of London, a Boat Ride to Hell, and the Labyrinth of the Lost are all fantastic multi-million pound themed attractions amongst dozens of other exhibits and tableaux. Live actors add to the terror and excitement. There are many hideous instruments of torture to be seen in recreated settings, most of which are unbelievably sadistic and cruel. The dangerous streets of Whitechapel in Victorian London were the hunting grounds for notorious murderer and mutilator Jack the Ripper. One of the most infamous serial killers of all time, you can meet Jack at the London Dungeon.

A serial killer is defined as someone who kills three or more people over a long period of time. They are usually male and possess a "mask of sanity," which means that on the surface, they appear to be normal law-abiding citizens with a pleasant demeanor. However, beneath their facade serial killers are sociopaths who lack the capability to empathize with the suffering of their victims. 

Read on to learn about ten of the scariest serial killers ever captured! 

  John Wayne Gacy

John Wayne Gacy, also known as "The Killer Clown," was a husband and father, but he was also a repeated sex offender who victimized countless people during his lifetime. He was caught sexually assaulting two teenage boys in 1968 and sentenced to 10 years in jail, but due to his exemplary behavior as an inmate he was released on parole after serving just 18 months. 

Once he was released from jail, Gacy briefly remarried (they divorced when she discovered that he was secretly gay) and became a popular and jovial member of society. He enjoyed dressing up as "Pogo the Clown" and volunteering at children's parties, parades, and other community gatherings. He was a respected businessman and well-liked by his neighbors.

During the six years between the time he got out of jail and when he was finally arrested again for suspicion of kidnapping, Gacy murdered an astounding 33 young men. He buried most of the bodies in the crawl space of his house, in his yard, and later (when he started to run out of space), he dumped them in a nearby river. He would lure hitchhikers, male prostitutes, and other young men and boys into his car or his home, then torture, rape, and murder them.

After he was arrested and the police found the bones in his basement, Gacy issued a full confession and was executed in 1994. (Link | Photo)

 Jeffrey Dahmer

Jeffrey Dahmer is one of the scariest serial killers in U.S. history. Over the course of thirteen years, Dahmer murdered 17 men and boys; worse yet, his murders involved rape, dismemberment, necrophilia and cannibalism. Despite the fact that several of Dahmer's victims managed to escape, he was not caught until one victim ran into the street and flagged down a police car. Once inside his apartment, police made a series of disturbing discoveries; Dahmer had been trying to create a "mindless sex slave" by drilling into the skulls of his still-living victims. When they died, Dahmer would performgrotesque acts on the bodies, including sexual assault and in some cases, eating pieces of them.

Dahmer was eventually brought to justice, and on November 28, 1994 he was beaten to death by a fellow inmate at the Columbia Correctional Institution, where he had been incarcerated.

 Ted Bundy

Ted Bundy was a good-looking guy, and seemed very friendly and charismatic. However, behind his handsome face lurked the twisted mind of a serial killer, and between the years of 1974 and 1978 Bundy kidnapped and murdered 30 young women in the U.S. Those were just the women we know of; experts agree that he could have been responsible for up to forty disappearances and murders to which he didn't confess.

To lure in his victims, Bundy would often pretend to be disabled or would pose as an authority figure. Other times, he would simply break into his victim's homes and bludgeon them to death as they slept. After killing them, he would rape, torture, and dismember them, often keeping souvenirs (like their heads) in his apartments for months at a time.

After a thrilling police chase, Bundy was finally arrested and brought to justice in 1979 and was killed in the electric chair in January 1989, in Starke, Florida. 

  Gary Ridgway

Known as the "Green River Killer," Gary Ridgway strangled at least 71 women in Washington state during the 1980's and 90's. His first five victims were discovered in the Green River, which is how he earned his nickname. He was finally arrested after DNA evidence linked him to several missing women, and he took a plea bargain to avoid the death penalty. In exchange, Ridgway agreed to disclose the location of all of his victim's bodies.

Ridgway would pick up prostitutes and runaways, earn their trust by showing them a photo of his son, and then strangle them either with his bare hands or with ligatures. He would often return to the bodies to have sex with them or arrange them in various poses. Despite having an IQ of only 82, Ridgway managed to avoid being caught for over a decade until he was finally caught in November of 2001.

Ridgway is still alive and serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole in Washington state.

 Ed Gein

Though Ed Gein only confessed to two murders and does not fit the typical definition of "serial killer," his horrific acts have made him the inspiration for countless horror stories, including Norman Bates from Psycho, Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Jame Gumb from The Silence of the Lambs.

Ed Gein lived in Wisconsin with his mother and brother. He was suspected of murdering his brother, but police could not prove it. After his mother died, Gein began visiting the local cemeteries, digging up bodies of middle aged women who he thought resembled his mother, and assembling a "woman suit" out of their skin. He eventually killed two local women, and when police came to his home to investigate they found body parts everywhere. 

Police discovered human noses, vulvae, skulls made into bowls, skin masks, human heads in sacks, lamps and chairs upholstered in human flesh, organs in the refrigerator, and a belt made of human nipples.

Gein was arrested in 1957 and spent the rest of his life in a mental hospital after being ruled criminally insane. He died of heart failure and cancer in 1984 at the age of 77.

 Henry Lee Lucas

Once listed as America's most prolific serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas killed at least 350 people over the course of twenty years, though he confessed that he was involved in up to 600 murders. Lucas was the inspiration for the movie Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer.

After murdering his own mother, Lucas spent 10 years in jail but was eventually released due to overcrowding. Once he got out, he became a drifter in the southern states of the U.S., making friends with Ottis Toole, a man who would become his accomplice in over 108 murders and other crimes. 

In 2001, Lucas died in prison of natural causes at the age of 66.

 Aileen Wuornos

One of the few female serial killers on record, Aileen Wuornos was a prostitute who murdered at least seven men between 1989 and 1990. Actress Charlize Theron won a Best Actress Academy Award for her portrayal of Wuornos in the movie Monster.

Wuornos lived a life of abuse and neglect, having a baby at age 15 (who was put up for adoption) and engaging in an incestuous relationship with her brother. She was briefly married and spent time in jail for petty robberies and assault. Eventually she fell in love with a woman and supported them both by turning tricks as a prostitute. During her years of prostitutionWuornos shot and killed seven men who she claimed were trying to harm her during their sex sessions.

Wuornos was arrested in 1991 and confessed to the murders three days later. She was killed by lethal injection in 2002.

 Richard Trenton Chase

Nicknamed "The Vampire of Sacramento," Richard Trenton Chase was most famous for drinking the blood of his victims and eating parts of their bodies. He killed six people over the course of one month in northern California in 1977. Chase spent time in a mental hospital after being caught capturingsmall animals and devouring them raw, sometimes blending the corpses with Coca Cola in a blender to make a milkshake. After being treated with anti-psychotic medications he was released, and that's when he started killing humans.

Chase murdered six people, including two children, and engaged in sex with their bodies after he murdered them. He would also drink and bathe in their blood and eat their internal organs. Chase was finally caught in 1979 after murdering an entire family. His defense tried to get him a lesser charge due to his history of insanity, but a jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to death by the gas chamber. Chase then killed himself in jail in 1980 by saving up his prescription antidepressent medicine and taking a lethal overdose in his cell.


Andrei Chikatilo
Ukranian-born Soviet killer Andrei Chikatilo was nicknamed the "Butcher of Rostov," "The Red Ripper" or "The Rostov Ripper." He killed at least 52 women and children between 1978 and 1990 and was convicted in 1992 and executed in 1994.

Chikatilo first killed a 9 year old girl in 1979, and during the experience he discovered that he could only achieve sexual satisfaction by stabbing and slashing women and children to death. 

Chikatilo was in and out of jail and suspected of crimes for many years, but there was never enough evidence to put him away for good. Finally, in a well-orchestrated police snare, Chikatilo was caught in 1990 and eventually confessed to killing 36 people. He was charged with killing 53 women and children between 1978 and 1990 and was convicted of 52 murders in 1992. In 1994 he was executed by a single gun shot wound behind the right ear.(Link | Photo)

 Dennis Rader

Between 1974 and 1991, Dennis Rader killed at least ten people in the Wichita, Kansas area. Rader was known as the BTK Killer, which stands for "bind, torture, kill." Rader also sent notes to local authorities and media outlets describing the killing process, taunting them for not catching him. It was these letters that lead to his eventual capture in 2005.

After Rader kidnapped his victims he would bind them and strangle them until they passed out. Then he'd let them wake up and do it again, repeating the near-death experience and getting sexual gratification from it. He would eventually strangle the victim to death and masturbate into an article of their clothing.

Rader was caught because police were able to extract a deleted file from a floppy disk the killer had sent them. On the disk was information about Rader's church, an organization of which he was an active member. It was DNA evidence that eventually busted Rader, and he later confessed to the crimes. He was convicted of 10 counts of murder in 2005. He is still in jail serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.