SOME people are great at learning languages. Others can shoot a ball through a hoop. A few dare to show off less common gifts, like dangling heavy weights from a swallowed sword, or rolling stacks of dice. Last Wednesday, 44-year-old Cai Dongsheng of China set a "Great World" record for throwing down a stack of 28 dice, according to Chongqing Evening News. Shanghai's Great World runs a Guinness-like competition. Cai said he practices his skill three hours a day and calls his effort "much more tiring than a 1,000-meter race". According to the newspaper, Cai is also known in his neighborhood for his remarkable ability to cut stones with his hands. "My family opposes my practicing these skills, because they are harmful to my health," Cai said. He adds, however, that he plans to continue using his gifts, strange though they may be.