A grave-digging contest in a small Hungarian town drew 19 two-man teams to a public cemetery, where competitors raced to dig regulation-size graves with picks and shovels, all in the name of honoring a fading trade. Róbert Nagy and his teammate László Kiss finished first on Saturday, carving out a full-size grave in one hour […] The post Two Hungarian grave diggers win speed contest in cemetery showdown appeared first on American Almanac .
A grave-digging contest in a small Hungarian town drew 19 two-man teams to a public cemetery, where competitors raced to dig regulation-size graves with picks and shovels, all in the name of honoring a fading trade. Róbert Nagy and his teammate László Kiss finished first on Saturday, carving out a full-size grave in one hour and 21 minutes in the summer-baked soil of Nyergesújfalu, a town in northern Hungary. Their prize: 200,000 Hungarian forints, roughly $640, split between the two men. The contest, organized by the Hungarian Association of Cemetery Maintainers and Operators, put 38 competitors to work in a public cemetery. Each two-man team had to dig a grave measuring about five and a half feet deep, six and a half feet long, and…Open
Kok-Boru, a traditional Kyrgyz horseback sport played with a goat carcass, is one of several competitions at the World Nomad Games celebrating Central Asia's nomadic heritage.
Hungary’s public cemetery in Nyergesújfalu hosted a grave-digging contest where teams raced to dig regulation graves for a cash prize, a display organizers say spotlights the dignity of the trade and aims to break old taboos. On Saturday, thirty-eight men in 19 teams descended on the cemetery in northern Hungary, competing to see who could […] The post Hungarian grave-digging contest digs into tradition and taboos appeared first on American Almanac .
Hungary’s public cemetery in Nyergesújfalu hosted a grave-digging contest where teams raced to dig regulation graves for a cash prize, a display organizers say spotlights the dignity of the trade and aims to break old taboos. On Saturday, thirty-eight men in 19 teams descended on the cemetery in northern Hungary, competing to see who could dig the fastest, deepest, and most precisely measured grave. The event was organized by the Hungarian Association of Cemetery Maintainers and Operators, which described the contest as a way to “showcase the grave-digging trade and its skills” and to “shake off death-related taboos.” Contestants used only picks and shovels, working under the sun to meet strict size requirements: 1.6 meters…Open
The American flag is as alive as the country it represents. The post Put Out More Flags appeared first on The American Conservative .
Culture Put Out More Flags The American flag is as alive as the country it represents. Photo by Sandrine Marty / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images American Icon: The US Flag in Art National Gallery of Art, June 6–December 6 In 1954, Jasper Johns had a dream of himself painting an American flag. When he woke up, the artist executed his first work on the theme, in encaustic. More flags soon followed. Johns worked experimentally, often using outré materials and positioning the flag in strange configurations. But the basic form always remained the same: a rectangular field emblazoned with stars and stripes. It became…Open
Norway’s King Haakon VIII delivered a heartfelt first address honoring his father, King Harald, before tens of thousands of mourners, underscoring the nation’s reverence for legacy and the rule of law. King Haakon VIII stepped before the public for the first time as sovereign, recording his televised speech at the palace in Oslo just days […] The post King Haakon VIII pays tribute to late father Harald in first address as Norway’s new monarch appeared first on American Almanac .
Norway’s King Haakon VIII delivered a heartfelt first address honoring his father, King Harald, before tens of thousands of mourners, underscoring the nation’s reverence for legacy and the rule of law. King Haakon VIII stepped before the public for the first time as sovereign, recording his televised speech at the palace in Oslo just days after the death of King Harald. Flags throughout Norway flew at half-mast as crowds streamed in “their tens of thousands” to the royal palace to pay their respects, a scene that echoed the deep connection between the monarchy and its people. Haakon’s message was personal and clear: gratitude for his father, love for his family, and a commitment to the constitutional principles that define…Open
Americans can learn from French Canadians’ successes—and failures—in preserving their culture. The post Quebec’s Lessons for Conservatives appeared first on The American Conservative .
Canada Quebec’s Lessons for Conservatives Americans can learn from French Canadians’ successes—and failures—in preserving their culture. (Steve Liss/Getty Images) This side of the border, French Canadians don’t tend to make political waves. Despite a sizable population in northern New England, they have collectively only once played a significant role in American politics. This was in February 1972, when the so-called “Canuck Letter” helped scuttle Ed Muskie’s shot at the Democratic nomination for president. (The letter, now widely believed to be the work of Nixon staffers, alleged that Muskie had drawn…Open
From Beverly Hills to Napa Valley, high-end California hotels are rolling out elaborate afternoon tea services, a quiet trend that says more about the market for old-fashioned elegance than anyone might expect. Seven luxury properties spanning the length of the state have launched or refreshed afternoon tea programs, each putting its own spin on a […] The post Luxury hotels across California bet big on afternoon tea appeared first on American Almanac .
From Beverly Hills to Napa Valley, high-end California hotels are rolling out elaborate afternoon tea services, a quiet trend that says more about the market for old-fashioned elegance than anyone might expect. Seven luxury properties spanning the length of the state have launched or refreshed afternoon tea programs, each putting its own spin on a tradition that dates back to 1865 London. The venues stretch from the oceanfront Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica to the historic Fairmont Breakers in Long Beach, with stops in Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, Pasadena, and Napa Valley in between. It is, on its face, a lifestyle story. But for readers who pay attention to where money flows and what consumers actually want, the…Open
More than 20,000 people descended on the small Spanish town of Buñol for the annual La Tomatina tomato fight, a tradition that has survived a dictator's ban and now draws nearly half its crowd from overseas. Loaded trucks rolled through narrow streets on Wednesday morning as revelers pelted one another with overripe tomatoes for more […] The post Spain's La Tomatina draws 20,000 revelers to a tiny town for the world's biggest food fight appeared first on American Almanac .
More than 20,000 people descended on the small Spanish town of Buñol for the annual La Tomatina tomato fight, a tradition that has survived a dictator's ban and now draws nearly half its crowd from overseas. Loaded trucks rolled through narrow streets on Wednesday morning as revelers pelted one another with overripe tomatoes for more than an hour. A cannon blast signaled the end. Then came communal showers, hoses on the pavement, and stains on clothes that may never wash out. The town had draped its buildings in tarps beforehand, a practical concession to the chaos that has defined La Tomatina since 1945. The annual food fight, held every last Wednesday of August in this town near Valencia, has grown from a local oddity into an…Open
Two men died and at least 11 others were injured Saturday after 21 fighting bulls were turned loose on crowded streets at an annual festival in Huamantla, Mexico, the first fatalities at the event in eight years. Juan Manuel Filomeno Herrera, 29, lost his balance during the chaos, fell to the ground, and was gored […] The post Two killed, 11 injured as bulls rampage through Mexican festival streets appeared first on American Almanac .
Two men died and at least 11 others were injured Saturday after 21 fighting bulls were turned loose on crowded streets at an annual festival in Huamantla, Mexico, the first fatalities at the event in eight years. Juan Manuel Filomeno Herrera, 29, lost his balance during the chaos, fell to the ground, and was gored by one of the bulls. He suffered fatal head and chest injuries. Luis Xolocotzi Ramirez, 57, was gored in the chest and sustained a fractured skull. An air ambulance rushed Ramirez to a hospital, where he died of his injuries, The Sun reported . The Huamantlada, a Mexican version of Spain's famous Running of the Bulls, draws crowds each year to the small city east of Mexico City. Organizers released all 21 fighting bulls into…Open
