”Good Morning America” has a new weekend show. I saw it for the first time this past Saturday. The hosts did a segment on the new “Guinness Book of World Records 2007.”
It just so happens that I have carried this item at my book fairs for the past three weeks. It was a pleasant surprise to learn I had a jump on the GMA-Weekend crew. Since many customers have been buying and reading this book of late, and GMA thought it important enough to devote air time to it, I want to share here a few of the unusual and bizarre entries listed as current records. The book is 288 pages long and comes with a set of free Guinness Record trading cards. My price at the book fairs is $16.49 (which beats Amazon.com by $2.62), while the publisher’s price is $28.95. Learn more about the book at www.guinnessworldrecords.com
The book claims to be the “World’s Biggest-Selling Book.” It is published in more than 100 countries in 26 different languages.
Most Pubs Visited in 24 Hours
A group of 19 students belonging to St. Andrew’s College, University of Sydney, Australia, set a new team record by visiting and drinking at 82 drinking establishments throughout Sydney on June 9-10, 2005. The individual record for the most pubs visited is held by Bruce Master (UK), who had visited 38,000 pubs and bars since 1960 as of February 27, 2005.
I say the guy needs to get a life.
Oldest Love Poem
Archaeologists have dated a love poem written on a clay tablet to the time of the Sumerians, who invented writing ca. 3500 BC. It was given the rather unromantic name of “Istanbul #2461” and is thought to have been recited by a bride of the Sumerian king Shu-Sin, who ruled between 2037 and 2029 BC. It begins, “Bridegroom, dear to my heart, Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet, Lion, dear to my heart, Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet.”
I say this isn't too bad for a gal who lived 5500 years ago.
Oldest Piece of Cake
The Alimentarium Food Museum in Vevey, Switzerland, has as one of its exhibits the world’s oldest cake. The 4,200-year-old confectionery was sealed and vacuum-packed in the grave of Pepionkh, who lived in ancient Egypt ca. 2200 BC. The cake, which measures 4.25 inches (11 cm) in diameter, has sesame on the outside and honey inside, and was possibly made with milk.
Apparently even the ants didn't want it.
Highest-Resolution Satellite Images
The best commercially available satellite images are those taken by Digitalglobe’s QuickBird Satellite. Launched on October 18, 2001, QuickBird can take black-and-white images of the Earth at a resolution of 24 inches (61 cm) per pixel, and multispectral images at 8 feet (2.44 m) per pixel.
Beware, all you nude sunbathers!
Highest Percentage of Body Burns Survived
David Chapman (UK) survived burns of 90% to his body after a canister exploded and drenched him with gasoline while he was filling his moped on July 2, 1996. During a subsequent operation, surgeons spent 36 hours removing dead tissue from David’s body.
Nothing funny to be said about this.
Survival Without A Pulse
Julie Mills (UK) survived three days without a pulse in her vascular system after suffering severe heart failure and vital myocarditis on August 14, 1998. Cardiac surgeons at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK, used a non-pulsatile blood pump (AB180) to support her for a week, during which time her heart recovered and the pump was removed.
I'd say she is one lucky woman.
Longest Fingernails
Lee Redmond (USA) has grown the fingernails of both her hands to reach a total length of 24 feet, 7 inches (7.51 m). She has been growing her nails for 24 years and treats them daily with warm olive oil and nail hardener. Lee lives a very active life, despite her fingernails, although she does attract a few “unusual” admirer: she was once offered money to have her nails nibbled, the prospective buyer suggesting that he buy by the inch! Even the prospect of the bathroom is undaunting to Lee. When asked how she “goes,” she replies: ‘Carefully!
I'd say this is one crazy woman.
And finally,
Largest Bubblegum Bubble Blown (Unassisted)
Chad Fell (USA) blew a bubblegum bubble with a diameter of 20 inches (50.8 cm) – without using his hands to steady or stretch the bubble – at the Double Springs High School, Winston County, Alabama, USA, on April 24, 20004. The secret of his success, says Chad, is blowing with three pieces of Dubble Bubble gum.
Hmm…I was a Dubble Bubble fan as a child. My dad used to call me “Gum Face” due to the fact that my bubbles were always popping and sticking to my face, and he had to clean the gooey mess off. So I don’t think I’ll be trying to set any world records for bubble blowing.
Then again, I wonder if I could fit four pieces into my mouth…
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