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Yemeni Boy Becomes Master of Rock Balancing
Emirates 24/7 ^ | Thursday, January 21, 2016

Posted on 01/21/2016 9:56:48 AM PST by nickcarraway

Says be began doing this after watching it on TV

A 19-year-old Yemeni has demonstrated an unprecedented skill in rock-balancing, becoming one of the world’s best-known persons in such an art.

Rock balancing is an art, discipline or hobby in which rocks are balanced on top of one another in various positions. There are no tricks involved to aid in the balancing, such as adhesives, wires, supports or rings.

Salah Mohammed Baithan has hit headlines in many publications worldwide for such skills, with the latest report about him published in the US magazine ‘The Strange,’ which classified him as second only to a Briton in this art.

Baithan said that he began doing this after he watched a balance artist making amazing forms with rocks on the TV.

“That was six months ago. When I watched that balance artist on the TV. I didn’t ask myself how he could make the rock stand on the top of one another, but I wanted to do the same and I succeeded the first time,” Baithan said.

According to Yemen’s daily ‘National Yemen,’ he began balancing three or four small rocks, spending hours to make simple forms. Now, he is able to make complex forms with very big rocks in a short time, it said.

“In the beginning, when people saw what I could do with rocks, they were surprised. Most of them, if not all, thought that I was a magician. However, after I explained to them that it’s just a talent from God, they believed me and asked me to open a school to teach balancing,” he said.

Baithan feels victorious every time he performs a balancing of rocks. He said that when the weather is calm, he makes forms quickly, but if there is wind it takes a long time.

“To master this art you should have some important qualities, considered the secret of this art. They are patience, calmness, focus, and confidence, especially knowing that each attempt may not succeed the first time,” he explained.

Baithan added that artists need to have some knowledge about the weight of the rocks, the balance point of rocks, and the centre of gravity. It is also important to choose suitable rocks that match the weight of the rock above.

“Using soft rocks with soft rocks is easier than using soft with rough rocks. However, any rocks can balance. The difficult thing isn’t with rocks but with the ability to control your focus.”


TOPICS: Local News; Outdoors; Sports
KEYWORDS: rock; rockbalancing; rocks


1 posted on 01/21/2016 9:56:48 AM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

There is a Chinese artist who does this. He snaps his fingers after each successful attempt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0apy6F9tWxY


2 posted on 01/21/2016 10:02:43 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (Jews for Cruz)
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To: nickcarraway

Interesting.... I must admit this is unique, but I find it curious that someone wrote an article about it. People have actually told him he should start a school to teach it? More puzzling, though, is that a 19yo is considered a boy.


3 posted on 01/21/2016 10:06:42 AM PST by FourPeas (Chocolate, sugar and lots of caffeine. Hard to beat that.)
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To: nickcarraway

Reminds me of the Monty Python sketch about the Ministry of Putting Things on Top of Other Things.


4 posted on 01/21/2016 10:12:39 AM PST by IronJack
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To: nickcarraway
Rock balancing is pretty cool. Quite a bit of it going on in the river and creekbeds here in central Texas.


5 posted on 01/21/2016 10:15:28 AM PST by Liberty Valance (Keep a Simple Manner for a Happy Life :o)
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To: IronJack

Well.......when you only have rocks to play with.........


6 posted on 01/21/2016 10:17:16 AM PST by WVNan (qu)
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To: nickcarraway
Post turtle is not impressed.


7 posted on 01/21/2016 10:18:43 AM PST by Delta 21 (Patiently waiting for the jack booted kick at my door.)
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To: nickcarraway

It’s not like he’s gonna have Legos in Yemen.


8 posted on 01/21/2016 10:29:10 AM PST by Tijeras_Slim
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To: nickcarraway

I’ll forward him an e-mail I just got from a technical recruiter who says she’s looking to fill a job opening for a Technical Recruiter.


9 posted on 01/21/2016 10:33:30 AM PST by equaviator (There's nothing like the universe to bring you down to earth.)
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To: nickcarraway

ok... neat and all... not what id’ call a career path though


10 posted on 01/21/2016 10:39:10 AM PST by camle (keep an open mind and someone will fill it full of something for you)
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To: nickcarraway

But is it Islamic?


11 posted on 01/21/2016 10:41:12 AM PST by beethovenfan (Islam is a cancer on civilization.)
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To: nickcarraway
Islamic rock balancing


12 posted on 01/21/2016 10:50:44 AM PST by DannyTN
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To: nickcarraway

There’s 90 seconds of my life wasted.


13 posted on 01/21/2016 10:54:51 AM PST by bgill (CDC site, "We still do not know exactly how people are infected with Ebola")
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To: nickcarraway
You see a lot of this in Afghanistan. They have nothing else to do but stack rocks.

You'll see a stack of rocks in the middle of nowhere in the desert.

14 posted on 01/21/2016 11:17:06 AM PST by IDontLikeToPayTaxes
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To: FourPeas

You’re so right. Why is a 19 year old considered to be boy instead of a man? It boggles the mind.


15 posted on 01/21/2016 11:29:16 AM PST by FamiliarFace
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