Bored of the gym and your same-old routine? Hoopnotica might just be the solution for you. This growing fitness trend originated in Los Angeles in 2004, and has recently gained popularity all over the world. Using weighted fitness hoops and rhythmic movements, this latest fitness craze takes hula hooping to a whole new level. Not only does it allow you to have fun and get a good cardio workout at the same time, but it’s also relatively inexpensive. 


Avid fans of this workout regime can’t stop dishing about its benefits, including core strengthening and weight loss. In fact, the CEO of Hoopnotica, Gabriella Redding, claims to have lost 55 pounds just through hula hooping. The American Council on Exercise has reported that this new workout strategy burns up to 420 calories per hour – similar to that of boot-camp classes and aerobics.


Hoopnotica is now available in 13 different languages, in over 30 countries. There are trained instructors around the world, including the US, EU, Japan, and Canada. Just last year alone, this innovation has made $1 million dollars in sales, and has been nominated to appear on Forbes “Names You Need To Know 2011” List. 


More information can be found at www.hoopnotica.com.

Foam Weapon League

An inventive blend of live action role play, Dungeons and Dragons and war reenactment, the Foam Weapon League’s special brand of fighting first took shape in the mind of Los Angeles-based Scream Queen actress Michelle Morrow. 


Donning outlandish costumes, they batter each other with foam swords and clubs in the hope of seeing their opponent spurt fake blood from the pouches strapped to their suits. Breaking blood bags is the way to secure points. The one who spills the most blood, wins. 


The FWL is currently traveling the US to set up teams in other cities. They are recruiting for Major and Minor leagues to represent Los Angeles in national fight competitions.

The Real-Life "UP"

Have you ever wondered if Disney/Pixar’s movie, “Up”, were possible (minus the talking dog, of course)?  A group of scientists, balloon pilots, and engineers have made it a reality.

In about two weeks time, a wooden house 16 x 16 feet was built for flight.  Once constructed, 300 helium-filled balloons were attached to the structure, and we have lift off!

For more photos, go to the National Geographic Channel’s website.  For a more in depth look on the project, check out the series “How Hard Can It Be” on the National Geographic Channel this Fall.

Daphneyland

Walk into Daphneyland and you will be greeted by a crowd of wagging tails and long floppy ears. Daphneyland is a Basset Rescue Network that was founded in 2005 by Carol Ashley and Dawn Smith. Located in suburban Los Angeles, the shelter is comprised of volunteers from all walks of life, who donate their time, talents, and labour to assist in saving the lives of Basset Hounds.

Animal rescues and shelters have all suffered a blow due to the recession. At Daphneyland, donations have been down 40 percent, the rescue full, and volunteers have had to quit. “We are bringing in $5,200 a month in donations and we need $10,000 to survive,” Smith said. Things are starting to look up now, but the rescue still gladly accepts donations, sponsors, or volunteers.

There are also always dogs up for adoption. You can visit their website at www.daphneyland.com.

Real Life Magneto Boy Pulls Crowds

Ivan Stoiljkovic is a six year-old boy from Croatia who has become a major attraction in his local village. While he shares a liking for football and the accordion, Ivan’s fame stems from one uncanny ability that sets him apart from the other kids — the ability to attract metal objects.

Ivan has already showcased his unusual talent to a group of local journalists, sticking up to 25 kilograms of cutlery, frying pans, and dumbbells to his body. Other objects that cling to him include dishes, mobile phones, and even remote controls. According to his family, Ivan is also able to heal those in pain with his bare hands. The boy has reportedly cured his grandfather of a stomach ache, as well as put a stop to the pain in a neighbor’s leg after a car accident.

Certain people remain unfazed by this supernatural ability, and  have got together on Facebook to prove that magnetism is no big deal and is something just about anyone can do. The Facebook group ‘We are all Magneto Boy’ includes photos of various people with metal objects stuck to parts of their bodies. They claim all that is necessary is placing the metal object onto a smooth, hair-free body part.

Croatian news story on Ivan

Amputee Sky Divers Defy the Odds

An 8-man team of amputee Vietnam veterans get ready for their latest thrill. Each one has their parachute clasped tightly and securely on his back as they snap their goggles into place.

This incredible group of men, who served in one of the worst wars in recent memory, all lost limbs during the brutal Vietnam war. But these tough vets didn’t let one less leg or arm get in their way of pursuing a full and exciting life, leading them to form a team that supported each other in every way, and on the side, would jump out of airplanes for fun.

The only team of skydiving amputees, the team appropriately call themselves “pieces of 8.” During the war, many of these men strapped parachuted on their backs and dove into the hellfire below, and never lost that sense of calm and joy they felt when they leaped from an open plane.

Once back home, the veterans decided not to let their amputations hinder their lives and pledged to keep on skydiving. Once a year, the group gets together to skydive out in Perris, CA. These brave men show that no matter what has happened in your life, giving up is simply not an option.

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

World's Tallest Cop

You had better think twice before crossing this cop! David Burks is America’s tallest cop, measuring in at an incredible 7 feet and 1 inch, literally towering over not only most drivers, but his fellow cops as well.

Burks’ 310- pound frame is astounding and always makes an impression when he pulls a driver over. His hulking frame can be seen bent over cars, trying to write down the driver’s information and making sure they know exactly how fast they were going.

“Size does have its advantages in law enforcement work,” says Burks. “People think twice before they mess with you.”

The giant police officer, who wears a size 14D shoe, is an investigator with the Caddo Parish Sherrif’s Department in Louisiana. He says that there have been times he’s appeared in the middle of a brawl, and just his presence there can break up a fight. Now that’s power!

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

The Jim Rose Freak Show Circus

The Jim Rose Circus is known the world over for bringing some of the world’s strangest people together to delight, scare and mystify audiences with their various talents.

Take Enigma, for example. A man completely covered in blue puzzle piece tattoos, he is comfortable on stage in front of hundreds of people using his modified body as a statement against “normalcy.”

Then there’s the female duo of sumo wrestlers, Judy “The Bull” Jenkins and Katie “The Piledriver” Wilson, who weigh in at a combined total of over 800 pounds! They shimmy, stamp their feet and wrestle in front of frenzied crowds who come for this spectacular show.

Rose, who has brought together  numerous talents over the years, just aired his latest tour on the Travel Channel, the ‘Jim Rose Twisted Tour.’

There are many other wonders to see in his show, which has a revolving door of performers who come and go as the tour progresses.

See them all in our special photo-essay, which takes you inside the heads of each of the performers.

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

Cat Walks 2000 Miles To Come Back Home

Stormy the cat is one incredible animal. The frisky gray kitty walked all the way from California to Minnesota in search of his home and family, on the farm where he had been raised, covering an unthinkable distance in his wake.

The amazing 2000-mile journey for the handsome little devil started when owners Wendy and her daughter Vanessa, rescued the cat from an animal shelter in 1995, raising him on their beloved Minnesota farm.

In 1998, the family moved to Solvang, California, and took Stormy along with them. “We’d been there about three months last Halloween when something must have scared him,” remembers Wendy.

“He bolted out the door and that’s the last we saw of him. We lived in rough country and as the days went by, I was sure some coyotes or or other wild animals had gotten poor Stormy.”

The next year, Wendy and Vanessa went back to Minnesota to visit her parents and got a huge surprise. She just happened to see a lost and found ad for a gray cat, and thought, “What if?”

Wendy and Vanessa went to see the cat, and as a vet confirmed later, it was definitely Stormy, although worse for wear.

Across his 2000-mile trek, he had shrunk to about four pounds and his claws were worn down to the roots. Wendy and Vanessa were amazed that Stormy not only survived, but had tried to find his way back to the place where he was raised, and now take every precaution to make sure Stormy stays safe.

“We make sure to close the door before that frisky kitty can sneak out for another cross-country adventure.”

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

Adopting Pets as Children

OK, I know almost everyone loves dogs, and they’re extremely intelligent, but some people take this whole “dogs-as-surrogate-children” thing a wee bit too far.

Case in point: Beth Joy Knutsen and her husband have six adopted children. However, the “children” are their adopted pets rather than human offspring.

The Manhattan couple has founded an unusual family unit. They made the decision to adopt pets instead because of their love of animals. The couple even has tattoos dedicated to their three dogs, Bella Starlet, Oscar, and Riff — love really is painful, apparently!

The other half of their family members are feline. Among them a pretty tabby named Beastie that has often appeared in American TV ads. When asked if they have children, both of them answer yes. Beth even anthropomorphizes her little dog by speaking as Bella Starlet’s voice, saying: “Mom and I have saved each other’s lives, and we shall be sister souls forever.” Beth wants to share her family with the world and does so in the role of acting agent for Bella Starlet.

This professional canine actress can be seen in movies, TV shows and magazines. Bella even has her own website and is the local darling of neighbors as well.

She even credits Sarah Jessica Parker as one of her fans! The animals also share their happiness by attending charity galas, parties, beauty contests, conferences, and school shows just to name a few. But each animal has his or her own personality and special set of skills. Bella, for instance, understands instructions in French as well as English.

Riff officially graduated from “dog therapy” school in New York City where she was trained to go into the homes of frightened children and help them overcome their fear of dogs. Families who aren’t lucky enough to have their own dog can hang out with Riff for a day if they want. They pay for her to visit for a few hours, and she cuddles and comforts them in her own special way. This may seem a bit too stage Mom of Beth but she says most of the income goes to animal welfare associations.

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

The Human-Powered Races

In a time when gas prices are skyrocketing and airfare can cost thousands of dollars, people are really rethinking the way they want to get around.

And what better way to get around efficiently than using your mind and body to create a contraption that will send you flying across a road?

Bystanders gawked and clamored over one another to get a better look at the man whizzing by them at dizzying speeds who lay completely flat in a clear coffin-like box on wheels.

Welcome to the Human Powered Races held in Ontario, CA. Contestants from all over the country come to this unique event to build and race their custom aerodynamic bicycles and contraptions that will win them the ultimate prize.

Contestants come up with the most unique designs they can and try to make themselves as aerodynamic as possible to win the coveted title. Powered only by themselves, the racers have come up with some of the coolest designs ever seen. There are giant boxes with banners flying in every direction, bullet-like bikes, six-wheeled contraptions and one guy who even lay flat on his stomach to ride his bike.

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

Daredevil Crashes Jet Ski Through Boat

Ricky D, the daredevil extraordinaire, attempted what most people would call a death wish: straddling a relatively small jet ski, Ricky D plowed right into the hull of a boat, creating a huge hole and emerging victorious on the other side.

Defying injury and even death, the smiling adrenaline junkie hurtled right through the red and yellow 35-foot boat while riding his jet ski at 60 mph.

This jet ski had a little more protection that your average one, though. Using a supped-up engine and a custom front end that is made of the same material as a bullet-proof vest, Ricky D was prepared for the worst but hoping for the best.

The stunt was done near Ricky D’s Sacramento home, and as he emerged from the one-inch thick mahogany hull with a trail of debris behind him, the audience let out a collective sigh of relief.

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

Planking: New Extreme Game Involves Just Lying Down

What do you like to do for fun? How about, lying face down with your arms at your sides in public spaces? Well, Karren and Jinyu have gained fame throughout their native Taiwan and around the world for doing just that.

The duo, known as the “Pujie Girls”, have become two of the most recognizable figures in the “planking” or “lying down game” circuit. The game was invented in 1997 by Gary Clarkson and Christian Langdon in Britain, and was originally called the “lying down game”. Since then, the game has become popular in Asia and Australia.

As you might have already guessed, in order to play the game, all you have to do is lie face down with your arms at your sides in an unusual place, and upload a photo of the act onto the internet.

The Pujie girls plank to promote various causes, such as tourism in Taiwan. “If people from other parts of the world can learn more about Taiwan through these photos, then our photos become very meaningful,” Karren said during an interview with Bigpondnews.com. The girls have planked in metro stations, night markets, and popular tourist destinations, including Taipei’s trendy XiMenDing shopping district.

But here’s the twist—fans of the game try to outdo each other by planking in the most unusual places possible. People plank on tree branches, moving vehicles and even railroad tracks. An Australian man named Acton Beale fell to his death after planking on his balcony’s railings. Many, including Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard, have subsequently spoken out against planking. The Official Lying Down Game website states, “Please don’t risk your life or health for the sake of a photo!”

Identical Quadruplets Premiere Reality Show

The Durst teens, a foursome of identical quadruplet girls, have premiered their first-ever foray into the world of reality TV, with their show, ‘The Quad Squad’ on Lifetime Television.

The 17-year-old girls are being showcased going about their daily lives as the extremely rare identical quads they are. Followed by an 18-person TV crew, the girls are shown playing sports, hanging out with friends, studying and basically just being the teens they are, with the added twist of having three other girls looking exactly like them. Naomi Durst, the quad’s mother, beat the odds 17 years ago, when she gave birth to her girls without the use of fertility drugs. The chance occurrence of identical quads being born is 1 in 700,000. The fiery redheaded teens, Megan, Kendra, Sarah and Calli are among an elite group of quads. There are only 60 known sets of identical quads worldwide, with 37 of those sets being girls.

The teens have dazzled the world since an early age, appearing on countless talk shows and wowing celebrity guests even at a young age.

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

The Perfect Man?

The handsome hunk sleeping right next to you in bed with the blue spandex underwear might just be the perfect man. He doesn’t talk much, won’t ignore you when the game is on, and spends all day in bed with you.

It’s just too bad that he’s printed right onto the sheets!

For millions of lonely women, (and some men,) the “My Perfect Partner” is a great way to seem like you have someone in bed with you even when you don’t.

The hunky guy is printed right onto the bedsheets, sprawled out in nothing but his undies. You can buy both the bedsheets, as well as pillowcases that feature the hunky guy, from Tapestry, a mail-order house in Pennsylvania.

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

10-Year-Old Film Critic Predicts The Oscars

Still in elementary school, Perry Chen, the incredible 10-year-old film critic, manages to find time to make his own movies, sculpt, draw, write film reviews, and still has time to do his homework.

The 5th grader is in a class all his own, and the next “Ebert in Training” is seen as the spokesperson for his generation — and now Perry has just predicted who will win the Best Animated Feature at Sunday night’s Oscar telecast.

Of the three films nominated, Perry knows that the race is really between “Toy Story 3″ and “How To Train Your Dragon.” Perry gave each one a very high score on his patented starfish rating system.

“They all got 4.5 out of 5 starfish, they’re all great, but the crowd favorite is ‘Toy Story 3′ — it’s the top animation film of all time and its been getting a lot of Oscar buzz,” says Perry confidently, who primarily reviews only  G and PG-rated films.

Tune in on Sunday night to see whether 10-year-old film critic Perry Chen’s prediction comes true!

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

Tattoo Convention Brings Mixed Crowd

Tattoo aficionados love showing off their unique and memorable tattoos to other tattoo-lovers. So that’s why when a tattoo convention comes around, it brings people from all walks of life to share in their love of all things ink.

At the annual tattoo convention held at the Hyatt hotel in Garden Grove, CA, over 2,000 people lined up to take part of the massive event. People ranging from biker dudes to sweet-tempered housewives partook in the event and traded tips on where the best tattoo parlors were, how to best take care of their tattoos and what tattoo they should get next.

Buttoned-down businessmen mingled with tattooed models and old army men to give the convention a sort of camaraderie not found outside a tattoo parlor.

In the picture gallery, a range of tattoo buffs posed proudly with their inked bodies fully on display. The subjects range from a martial arts expert, a housewife, a tow-truck operator, a model, a computer programmer and an attorney.

The stigma that was once associated with tattoos has virtually disappeared, with even the most serious and buttoned-down individuals having at least one tattoo.

The convention was a huge success — it was a celebration of all things tattoo and of showing pride in our bodies.

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

Incredible Weddings: Bridge-Jump Wedding

At the River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia, soon-to-be-married couple Tom King and his bride, Vivian Taylor, have decided to make their wedding ceremony just a bit more memorable than most.

Instead of opting for a quickie Vegas ceremony, they’re literally taking the plunge by jumping off the 876-ft. edge of the bridge right after saying their “I do’s.”

The fun couple from Memphis, Tennessee, donned the usual white gown and tux for the event, but also added a little something extra in the form of a helmet with a camera inside to capture their great big jump into wedded life.

“It’s a dream come true,” beamed Taylor, 34. The laughing couple was surrounded by 100,000 of their closest friends, family members and curious on-lookers as they fitted themselves into harnesses and tested the parachutes.

After the wedding ceremony, 400 other parachuting daredevils took the plunge off the bridge in celebration of the day’s main event.

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

Ex-Porn Star-Run Medical Clinic Shut Down

The controversial Adult Industry Medical (AIM) clinic, which catered to the porn industry just outside of Los Angeles, was shut down late last year after a cease-and-desist was ordered on the clinic for “business-related reasons.”

However, some on the staff have seen this as just a temporary setback, and plan to reopen soon. For the time being, patients will need to use another clinic, but the original story of AIM’s inception starts with an adult industry actress turning her life around.

Ex-porn star Sharon Mitchell was at a low point in her life when a near-fatal incident left her entire life in shambles, causing her to realize that she needed to pick up the pieces and completely rebuild her life.

Mitchell was a drug-addicted porn star in the lucrative adult film industry, located in the valley suburbs of Los Angeles, when her life was going at a brekaneck speed and about to crash into a wall. The star of over 150 adult films and a raging heroin addict, she was completely consumed by sex and drugs when she was brutally raped in 1996.

Her larynx was cracked and her nose was broken during the incident, causing her to cling to life. During recovery, Mitchell realized she needed to make drastic changes to her life — this could simply not happen again.

After her recovery, she got out of the porn industry, entered rehab and even started taking classes at a local community college. There, she earned medical assistance and counseling certificates which helped her realize how many people she could potentially help.

With the help of a local doctor and a generous donation from the adult industry, Mitchell found the Adult Industry Medical clinic.

Located in the San Fernando Valley, AIM was the first clinic of its kind, and the clinic provided an invaluable service to sex workers in the adult entertainment industry, such as drug, alcohol and sexual counseling and STD and HIV testing with next-day results.

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

World’s Most Pierced Woman

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Elaine Davidson, a.k.a Grace Martin, is the world’s most pierced woman, with a record-breaking total of 3,950 piercings and counting as of 2005!

Davidson, of Edinburgh, Scotland, is definitely a woman who turns some heads. Back in 2005, a Guinness representative came to examine her piercings, finding 3,950 piercings on various parts of her body. In comparison, the most pierced man at the time only had 137 piercings.

“I don’t mind the stares,” says Davidson. “But sometimes I have trouble getting into restaurants. They don’t like the piercings. But many people stop me in the street and want to take my picture and tell me how beautiful I look.”

On her face alone, Davidson boasts over 200 piercings, pointing at the ones on her tongue, eyelids, eyebrows, chin, ears, and pretty much anywhere there’s an inch of skin. Though the ones on her face are the most visible, Davidson says she’s got piercings in almost every imaginable place on her body.

“Sometimes I need to re-pierce the holes when they grow out,” explains Davidson, who clearly loves the attention she receives from her multiple piercings.

 “I don’t mind the pain” she says. “But the most painful piercing for me is my nose and clitoris.”

Ouch.

Davidson says she has over 20 piercings just on her privates alone, and to top it off, she also says she’s done nearly every piercing herself.

“I do it all for art,” she claims. “I think body art is beautiful, and I want to be a living canvas!”

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

The Toobing Olympics

A new California sport has taken over, and no, it doesn’t involve a surfboard!

Toobing has become the latest rage among water sports enthusiasts, and the best thing about the sport is that practically anyone can do it. All you need is an old car inner tube that has no holes in it and nine other people who are willing to partake in the sport. All ten of you line up in the pool inside your inner tubes and hold on to each other using your legs and flail like mad to win the race.

The sport has become so popular that there is now a “Toobing Olympics,” where over 10,000 people participated in sunny Marina Del Rey. Money raised from the event went towards numerous charitable organizations, the most popular being the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation.

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

Here’s a Community TSA Can’t Hassle

Amidst all the rain, snow and generally bad weather that’s gripped both North America and Europe, thousands of people have been stranded at airports overnight, sleeping on floors and forced to wait out the bad weather just to fly to their destination.

But what if you had your own airplane and a runway right outside your door? That’s exactly the case for a small town in northern California.

At the Airpark community in Cameron, CA, 88 homes sit nestled right next to an airport runway, a long stretch of gray tarmac covering a huge area, where, cars, kids toys and bikes are just as usual a sight as an airplane is. Over half of the residents are pilots or families of pilots, and the tightly-knit community boasts a runway that is used primarily for commercial purposes and is approximately 4000 feet long.

Street names along the runway are cheekily named “Boeing Road,” or “Lockheed Drive,” in reference to their small town’s unique nature.

The airpark’s residents usually use their planes for both work and play, often visiting family members across the country, travelling for work, or even taking off just to grab some fast food in neighboring Nevada!

As one resident said, “For most people, living next to an airport is a noisy, unpleasant existence. For the people of Cameron Park, it is the realization of a cherished dream.”

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.

Exclusive: A Look Back At Zsa Zsa Gabor’s Glamorous Life

Zsa Zsa Gabor, the world famous Hungarian actress, socialite and personality, recently had her leg amputated in a life-saving operation, which was amputated right above her knee sue to a deep lesion that threatened her life.

Though the 93-year-old former screen siren is doing better, according to husband Frederic Prinz Von Anhalt, she is still in critical condition. Anhalt has recently started to sell off Gabor’s massive collection of fur coats, which he says is necessary to pay her extensive medical bills.

According to Anhalt, the collection is valued at over $600,000, and “the doctor says she will never get out of bed so I want the coats out of our life.”

We here at Incredible Features hope for a speedy recovery for the icon, and remember her fondly as a vivacious woman who has remained  glamorous her entire life.

Back in 1985, we caught up with Gabor in her Bel-Air mansion as she showed us around her massive home in the ritzy area.

The shoot occurred one year before she married her current husband, which is her ninth. The pictures show her sitting next to her piano, posing next to her grand furniture and an arial view of her palatial residence.

Gabor is not shy when talking about how she cultivated her fame and wealth. In a Tonight Show appearance, Gabor famously said, ” I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house.”

To see pictures from the whole story, click here.