It has been brought to the attention of Guinness World Records that 11-year-old Michelito Lagravere’s recent killing of six calves in a bullfight in Merida, Mexico will be submitted to Guinness World Records for recognition as a potential world record.
Guinness World Records was not aware that this event was taking place, and will not recognise the result. We do not accept records based on the killing or harming of animals.
(Winchester) - Winchester Public School is making big news sending tiny seeds on a monumental climb up one of the world’s tallest mountains in a voyage meant to inspire interest in gardening.
Under the guidance of Educational Assistant Jeff Arsenault, students have launched the Seeds to Mount Everest project. The project is sending 5,000 sunflower seeds to the top of Mount Everest over the next few weeks with climbers participating in an International Mountain Guides (IMG) expedition. The school is working with Tacoma, Washington-based adventurer Eric Simonson, who helps run IMG guided trips to the top of the world’s most famous mountain and is currently leading a climb expected to hit the peak in mid May. Simonson is sending regular e-mails to the students reporting on the progress of the climb.
Arsenault devised the plan a few months ago as a way to help students take part in a neat horticultural project and to inspire a love of gardening. The idea is to send the seeds to the top of the mountain and then later redistribute them to elementary students across North America to grow over the summer months. Students will be asked to report back on any changes in the sunflower plants resulting from the exposure of the seeds to high altitudes.
“I’m always looking for a way to manipulate people into gardening,” says Arsenault with a grin. “I’m doing this to spread the message that gardening really is cool.”
He hopes the novel seeds will spark an interest in gardening among the younger generation. He wants students to grow the seeds into sunflowers and in turn pass on seeds from those plants to other students, turning them on to the joys of gardening as well.
“Gardening creates a peace of mind,” he explains. “It creates conscientiousness about life – a wisdom and ability to see things grow, live and die. Nowadays a lot of people are on a treadmill because things are going too quickly. Gardening is a tool for slowing things down. It creates patience, a sense of endurance and a wonder at seeing what you have helped nurture.”
Students at Winchester Public School are not the only ones interested in the project. Peers in Las Vegas, Nevada and New York City are also participating in the project after hearing about it on the Web. A special portion of the seeds will be sent to sick kids at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario to get them in on the fun and give them a diversion as they battle their illnesses.
…/2
-2-
Currently, the climbing team is delayed at a base camp near the bottom of the mountain after the Chinese government closed the north face of Everest until May 10 when the Olympic torch will pass through the area. Due to recent public demonstrations over Tibet, which have disrupted the torch run, the Chinese government is restricting movement of climbers until after the flame is through the area. The mountaineers will start climbing again on May 11 and the journey should be finished by May 31.
Arsenault is working on one other way to make the project fun for students. He has contacted Guinness World Records and will submit the project for world record consideration for the most seeds to the top of Everest.
Guinness World Records is saddened to hear of the death of Michael Jackson at the age of 50.
Jackson holds numerous Guinness World Records including the most Grammy Awards won in a year, most hit singles in the UK charts in a year, best selling album of all time, longest span of No.1 hits by an R&B artist, best selling music video, highest annual earnings ever for a pop star, and most successful pop music family.
Speaking in London tonight, Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief, Craig Glenday commented "I will always be immensely proud to know that Michael considered me a friend, and I know that everyone at Guinness World Records will be numb from hearing the news that this gentle, kind, shy man is no longer with us. On his last visit to the Guinness World Records office, he devoted a few valuable hours of his time being photographed with everyone, and we were all touched by his humility and willingness to please everyone present with autographs and photos. I'm honoured to have had the chance to spend some time with such a wonderfully talented artist - the man we called the Most Famous Living Man on Earth - and to present him with his favourite world record of all, the biggest selling album of all time, for Thriller, of course. He leaves behind an incredible musical legacy and a body of work unrivalled by any other performer."
Our sincerest birthday and congratulatory wishes go out to the record holding dachshund herself, Chanel, the Oldest Living Dog who turned a very impressive 21 years old on May 6th, 2009.
To celebrate this milestone, a birthday party was held in her honor at the New York Dog Spa & Hotel. The party was sponsored by Dogswell®, a privately owned pet food company which produces the treats in which her owners, Karl & Denise Shaugnessey of Port Jefferson, New York attribute the dog’s long life to. Guinness World Records representatives Jamie Panas & Kate White attended the birthday party and presented Chanel and her owners with an updated certificate.
Party on May 6 in New York City Features Guinness World Records® Presentation
What: Chanel is 147 years old in dog years and will soon be 21 years old in human years. Just like your grandma, her hair is completely white, she gets cold easily and needs glasses (or in this case, “doggles” for her cataracts).
On May 6, 2009, DOGSWELL®, the fastest growing private pet food company in America, will throw Chanel a birthday bash at the New York Dog Hotel & Spa complete with an oversized birthday cake, many canine attendees and an official presentation by Guinness World Records®. Chanel, a dachshund and resident of Port Jefferson Station, NY, is a longtime fan of DOGSWELL’s® HAPPY HIPS® Lamb & Rice treats. Her owners, Denice and Karl Shaugnessey, attribute her long life and agile hips to the tasty treat.
When & Where: May 6, 2009 12:30 p.m. New York Dog Hotel & Spa 32 West 25th Street (Between 6th Ave. and Broadway) New York, NY 10010 *Due to limited space, this event is not open to the public.
About DOGSWELL® DOGSWELL® is located in Los Angeles, Calif., and was founded by Marco Giannini in 2004. DOGSWELL® and CATSWELL® products are carried in more than 5,000 pet stores and natural food stores nationwide. DOGSWELL® is proud to have donated over a million dollars of food and treats to shelters and rescues. For more information about DOGSWELL® products, please visit www.dogswell.com.
DOGSWELL® recently launched a Nationwide Bow-Wow Bailout. From April 15 – May 15, DOGSWELL® is offering one free bag of dry dog food to the first 10,000 eligible people who have either lost their job or received a pay decrease. Viewers can submit the DOGSWELL® Bow-Wow Bailout redemption form, which is available at www.dogswell.com, by emailing bailout@dogswell.com, or calling 1-888-559-8833.
Beirut, 24-25 October 2009- Lebanon successfully made three entries into Guinness World Records for the largest ceramic plate, the largest serving of hummus and the largest tabbouleh plate. The event took place at Saifi Market in Downtown Beirut on 24 and 25 of October 2009 and also included various other entertaining activities.
250 Lebanese chefs from Kafaat catering school led by the famous Chef Ramzy in collaboration with the Association of Lebanese Industrialists came together on two consecutive days to break both records.
The first attempt for the largest hummus dish which was on 24 October 2009 reached an incredible 2056 kilograms, shattering the previous record of 362.8 kilograms set in New York in 2006. The recipe included 1,300 kg of chickpeas, 300lts of fresh lemon juice, and 400 kg of tahini, 13 kg garlic paste, 25 kg of salt and 125 kg of olive oil.
The tabbouleh record came only a day after Lebanon broke a Guinness World Records for the largest serving of hummus. The tabbouleh dish weighed in at an even more astonishing 3557 kilograms, which surpasses Israel’s previous record of 2359 kilograms.
The dish took a total of 6 hours to prepare and assemble and was prepared by 250 chefs from the Kafaat catering school.
Both dishes were prepared in the world’s largest ceramic plate designed by Lebanese engineer Joe Kabalan which weighed 2870 kg , measured 5.8 m in diameter and was designed to hold over 4 tons.
Guinness World Records™ adjudicator Talal Omar was on hand to authenticate the record. Mr Omar presented the certificates to Mr Fadi Abboud, the chairman of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists.
Mix four parts barbershop harmony with equal parts showmanship and fun to write a melody pitch-perfect for Guinness World Records™ success!
Guinness World Records™ adjudicator Danny Girton Jr. observed the 24 October record attempt from the Sommet Center stage in Nashville, Tennessee – endearingly nicknamed ‘music city’ – to witness Tulsa, Oklahoma-based singing organization Sweet Adelines International earn the largest singing lesson title.
6,651 participants, led by International President Peggy Gram and 2009 International Champion Quartet Moxie Ladies, sang in unison throughout the complete record-setting lesson, which took place during the organization’s 63rd annual international competition and convention.
According to event sources, Sweet Adelines International is one of the globe’s biggest women’s singing organizations, dedicated to progressing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through performance and education. The group’s membership includes ‘nearly 25,000 singers, 1,200 registered quartets and 600 choruses in most of the fifty United States, Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden, The Netherlands and Wales.’
We are saddened to hear the news that Chanel, a dachshund and Guinness World Record holder for the Oldest Living Dog (aged 21 years) passed away on Friday, August 28th, 2009 from natural causes at her home in Port Jefferson Station, on Long Island.
Known for her fondness of sweets and keen fashion sense, Chanel will always hold a place in record breaking canine history.
We had the pleasure of helping celebrate the dog’s longevity by presenting her owners, Karl & Denice Shaughnessy, with an updated certificate at Chanel’s 21st birthday party held at a dog spa in early May.
We extend our condolences to her owners and wish them all the best.
All most excellent things come to an end and so it is with a bag full of great memories that we say good bye to X Games for another year...but what a show it was!
Guinness World Records was there for everyone who chose to step up and take up the challenge of trying to get into the record book and we thank everyone who took part. From athletes, to all the visitors to the Guinness World Records Skate Park and BMX Park. To all those who stopped by to win a book or pick up a goodie bag, a big thumbs up to everybody who made it all so memorable.
We cannot leave however before mentioning a young man who chose to come to the booth and have a go at the Guinness World Record for most kicks to one's own head. Yes, you read correctly. The record for most kicks toone's own headin one minute is 77 and this young man decided he wanted to see if he could break it. So right there, in the hot Californian sun, in the middle of X Fest and in front of our Editor Craig Glenday he gave it his best. To say it was a crowd stopper is to say the least but as the seconds ticked away, the young man furiously kicked himself again and again in the head. The clock stopped. He stopped. The result? 77 kicks made equalling thecurrent Guinness World Record!! As you can see below the young man was thrilled he had made his way into our book and was forever a part of superlative history - good on you sir!
Halfway through the day I thought to myself that if there was ever going to be a day that I would ride a skateboard it was going to be at the X Games so I grabbed Craig and proceed to the Skate Park. After a bit of huffing and puffing as well as some pieces of duct tape (don't ask) we were both suited and booted to hit the...er...concrete. It seemed to last an eternity but we gave it our best and for 10 minutes Craig and I enjoyed the thrills and spills of riding a skateboard for the very first time. We were both excellent I have to say, up until the point where my skateboard crashed into Craig's as he was just about to launch himself into an amazing sequence of 360-mctwists-double-ketchup-swifty-fakies. Oh! How we are more in awe now of all the young boys and girls who seem to ride these little boards with four wheels with such grace!
An impromptu Guinness World Record attempt also took place at the Mattel Fingerboard booth in which if you sent a message to a particular number you received an X Games 15 fingerboard. They wanted to go for the most people simultaneously texting. After some rallying from the MC, around 37 texters turned up and pressed "Send" all at the same time. Not a big number but good enough to start the record off...I wonder how many will there be the next time it's attempted?
And that was that. The hot sun, the crowds, the amazing level of athletes, the sights and sounds (and smells!) of X Games 15 gradually faded away and we were left to put away our booth in the quiet Los Angeles sunshine. What a fantastic event it was. Many thanks not only to all the X Games staffwho were therebut also GWR's own Laura, Michael, David, Paul, Dan and of course Craig (sadly missing from the photo above) who gave it their all this year and helped to make it one of the most memorable years for Guinness World Records at X Games ever!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY X GAMES! HERE'S TO ANOTHER RECORD-BREAKING 15 YEARS!!
What’s yellow and round but not the sun? A cupcake that’s loaded with frosting and fun!
Sugary disclaimer aside, Minnesotan pastry chef JodiLee Knops helped Cakes.com bake up a sweet treat fit to warrant the title of largest cupcake!
Baked over the course of 13 hours, the 68.36-kg (150-lb 11.2-oz) creation stood 30.48 cm (12 in) tall, spread 60.96 cm (24 in) wide and was decorated to resemble Nickelodeon network’s cartoon character SpongeBob Squarepants. Guinness World Records'™ Adjudicator Danny Girton Jr was on hand to offiicially recognize the achievement as a GWR record.
The fudge-filled cupcake was created as part of Mall of America’s SpongeBob SquarePants' 10th anniversary celebration.
According to event organizers, the scaled-up cupcake could yield 1,500 servings.
No matter how you serve up JodiLee’s achievement, she has her recipe for success down pat!
Cakes.com is the consumer website of DecoPac, a prominent cake decoration supplier and marketer. DecoPac's mission is to serve the professional cake decorating market with unique, innovative, quality products.
On Saturday, 14 February 2009 – Valentine’s Day – 39,897 people gathered in the Plaza de la Constitución, the main square in Mexico City, Mexico, to beat the record for the most people kissing simultaneously.
From 10 a.m., Mexico City Town Hall offered multiple activities to the visitors. DIF-DF, Culture and Tourism Secretaries, and Youth and Woman Institutes set up stands in order to promote a culture of respect, plurality and love, which they hoped would last longer than for just this 14 February, through information, conferences and recreational activities.
From 4 p.m., the presenter Gabriela Ruffo was in charge of warming the attendance up and inviting passers-by to join the event. There were also performances by Tiaré Scanda, Carlos Payés and DJ Martín Parra.
After Susana Zabaleta’s performance of that internationally famous song “Bésame Mucho” by Consuelito Velázquez, and in front of 40,225 Mexicans and tourists at the Plaza de la Constitución, the countdown to the record attempt began.
For a 10-second period, couples, families and friends, sent a message of peace, freedom, diversity, respect and non-violence to the world through hugs and kisses of every kind. “The City of Mexico has shown to the country and to the entire world that here life can be lived with no fear and you can breath tolerance. In this city you can go out and be kissed, you can show your affection,” stated the secretary of tourism from the Mexico City Government, Mr Alejandro Rojas Díaz Durán.
That Saturday, at 7 p.m. Guinness World Records Adjudicator Carlos Martínez announced: “It is official: the new Guinness World Records™ record for the most people kissing simultaneously has just been broken in Mexico City, Plaza de la Constitución, with 39,897 participants.”
Carlos Martínez also added that the official figures showed a total of 40,225 people in the square 20 minutes before the record attempt; more and more people were gathering in the Plaza de la Constitución all the time, but as not all attendants kissed, not all of them could be included in the final official figure for the record. However, more than 95% of people participated, with a figure large enough to break the previous record set in Weston-super-Mare, UK, last June, with 32,648 people kissing at one time.
After the record attempt was over, the fair named “Amor es... sin Violencia, Bésame mucho” (“Love is… no Violence, Kiss me much”) ended with a concert by Mexican singer Vicente Fernández, attended by more than 200,000 people.
LONDON (4th February, 2009) - The globally-recognised authority on record-breaking achievements, Guinness World Records, announces the latest and greatest in video gaming with the publication of Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer’s Edition. As Great Britain experiences the heaviest snowfall in eighteen years, launch celebrations for the UK version are postponed until 11th February.
Hailed by critics as the “gamer’s bible” in 2008, this year’s edition promises to keep gamers occupied for hours with 216 pages of original records, facts and trivia. The all new 2009 Gamer’s Edition encompasses everything from the history of gaming to individual scores and facts from all genres of video games.
Records include the Largest Virtual Army (America’s Army, with more than 8 million registered users – almost 15 times larger than the actual US Army); the Longest Drum Marathon On Rock Band (26 hrs, 40 min); Most Controls on a Video Game (Steel Battalion, which features 49 different input devices, including foot pedals, a gear level, two control sticks and a button that activates in-screen windscreen wipers); Most Successful Entertainment Product Launch (Grand Theft Auto IV); and the Most Played Online Game (Call of Duty 4, with more than 1.3 million players daily on Xbox 360 alone).
Editor-in-Chief of Guinness World Records, Craig Glenday, says: “Our intention behind Gamer’s Edition is to offer a snapshot of the gaming universe uniquely through the eyes of Guinness World Records – in a format that appeals to both casual and hardcore gamers.”
The book covers all consoles and gaming levels, as well as a special section on banned and controversial games (pinball machines were banned in the U.S. for 34 years), War Games (Metal Gear, Call of Duty, Medal of Honor), Superhero Games (Batman, Spider-Man, Superman), Space Games (Star Trek, Wing Commander, Star Wars). The 2009 Gamer’s Edition also features interviews with key gaming industry heroes, such as Ralph H. Baer, investigates the growing craze in healthy gaming, and offers Twin Galaxies’ leaderboard of high scores and fastest times.
Concurring with Glenday’s view, records manager and gaming specialist Gaz Deaves adds: “As with the amazing achievements in the main book, we are always happy to welcome new record breakers in to Gamer’s Edition and the Guinness World Records family. Anybody who’s dedicated to breaking a record in the video gaming world can contact us with a claim through our website www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gamers.”
To celebrate the UK launch of the new edition on the 11th of February, British eccentric motoring inventor Edd China will unveil his latest wacky creation on four wheels – the Fastest Mobile Gaming Rig. Complete with all three “current generation” consoles and monitors, this unique piece of mobile furniture will tour the streets of London with three gamers onboard after setting a speed record on the A40.
Also in celebration of the UK launch, the world’s Youngest Professional Gamer, Lil Poison (Victor De Leon III), is due to visit London for the very first time on 9th February. 10-year old, Long Island (NY) native, Lil Poison claimed the title after signing with MLG recruiters as a Pro Gamer at the age of six.
Today, on the other side of the pond, reigning Guinness World Record-holder Danny Johnson will attempt to reclaim his “Guitar God” status on Guitar Hero® III: Legends of Rock in New York City. Johnson will try to best the previous record of 899,703 points on Guitar Hero’s toughest song – “Through the Fire and Flames”.
Even prior to its launch, 2009 Gamer’s Edition received critical acclaim from with Kotaku, stating: “With entries for professional gaming, top selling games in history, the history of hardware and Guitar Hero, the Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer's Edition looks to be a must have for fans of gaming.”
Friday, October 23rd - Saturday, October 24th 2009
Sultan heads north to the cooler climate of Iceland after mixing it up in Spain and Portugal. Read on as Kelly continues to keep us abreast of where in the world Sultan is today and what he's been getting up to!
Reykjavík, Iceland - famous for the 1986 Summit between former U.S. president Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev - warmly welcomed Sultan to its shores and boy were they excited about his arrival! In fact, even the flight crew on Icelandic Airways had been briefed about Sultan's visit and a flight-attendant transformed into an on-board photographer during the flight snapping dozens of shots of Sultan with the Captain and other crew members!
More surprises were in store for Sultan upon his arrival to his hotel room, when he was overjoyed to see a custom-made armchair especially made to accomodate his record-breaking size. We wondered whether it was the largest armchair in the world actually! Sultan was so thrilled about it that the maker of the sofa even kindly agreed to send the sofa to Turkey. In addition to this the Icelandair Hotel, where Sultan was staying, informed him that his room will be named after him complete with a duplicate sofa and photos of Sultan as a permanent fixture in celebration of his visit.
Sultan was officially a rock star in Iceland.
Later that day, after his first television interview, Sultan headed to the site of the Reykjavík Summit (the former French consulate) called Höfði to take a few pictures along with a few shots of the breathtaking views. Iceland sure is a beautiful country.
At midday, Sultan was then joined by Iceland Today for an interview followed by a press conference with local journalists. Later, he then met the families and children of the Icelandic publishers of the Guinness World Records 2010 book for a photo shoot and book signing using his very own fingerprint. Sultan is a big swimmer - literally - and wrapped up his day with a relaxing swim followed by a hot jacuzzi.
The following day, Sultan visited Smaralind Shopping Mall (the largest in Iceland) which hosted an event at which hundreds of locals turned up to meet him and get their copies of Guinness World Records 2010 autographed with his fingerprint. A life-size ad was placed in front of the store so people could measure themselves against Sultan. Over 700 books were bought that day and it was estimated that around 12,000 visitors stopped by the event! That's around 4% of Iceland's population - WHAT!? Closing the event, Sultan spoke to the crowds saying that although it was a very cold place, he had truly been touched by the overwhelming warmth of the people, especially by the staff at his hotel - TAKK (thank you) ICELAND!
Sultan heads back to Turkey for a short break but is back on the road on November 7th.
Stay tuned to find out where in the world Sultan's going next!
London, UK (22nd of October, 2009) – The global authority on record-breaking achievement, Guinness World Records, today launched an exact replica of the very first “Guinness Book of Records” in a limited and individually-numbered facsimile edition available exclusively for purchase at the company’s website (www.guinnessworldrecords.com).
The phenomenon of Guinness World Records began in September 1955 when the Chairman of the Guinness Brewery, Sir Hugh Beaver, decided to publish a volume of definite facts, in hopes that such a book would put an end to pub arguments. The very first Guinness Book of Records was printed in 1,000 copies with a plastic cover to protect it from beer stains and despite an initial skepticism from retailers (WHSmith ordered five copies), the book became an instant hit, was reprinted and reached bestseller status by Christmas the same year.
55 years later, the current Guinness World Records 2010 edition is published in 26 languages, 3 million copies and sold in 100 countries around the world. Although the popularity of Guinness World Records has remained steady for half a century the world that the record-keeping company measures has certainly seen some changes.
Editor-in-Chief of Guinness World Records, Craig Glenday, said: “The world is moving at a dizzying pace and we’ve been there documenting and celebrating the changes for half a century. By reproducing our very first edition, we can offer a snapshot of the world in the 1950s and a true sense of how our planet and its inhabitants have changed in the past 55 years.”
“Guinness Book of Records” will take today’s readers back to a time when the most expensive bottle of perfume was Jean Patou’s “joy” from Paris retailing at 103 s. 6d. per ¼ oz (£225 per pint), compared to the current record attributed to the limited edition of Clive Christian No.1 Collection priced at £115,000 ($205,000) per 500 ml (17 fl oz); and the tallest building was the Empire State Building in New York at 448.7 m (1,472 ft), which is nearly half the size of the Burj Dubai, “Dubai Tower,” which today tops out at a record breaking 818 m (2,648 ft).
Readers will also notice that a category such as “uncontrolled drinking,” which is no longer monitored by Guinness World Records, appears in the very first edition with record holders Auguste Maffrey (France) and Spaniard Dionsio Sanchez (Spain), who consumed 24 pints of beer in 52 minutes and 40 pints of wine in 59 minutes, respectively. Other records remain unbroken until this day, including the largest diamond (a 3106 carat diamond found in 1905 in South Africa) and the tallest man ever (American Robert Pershing Wadlow 2.72 m - 8 ft 11.1 in). Not to mention the largest pandemic (Black Death in 1347 eradicating around a quarter of the population of Europe and some 75 million worldwide) - a record which thankfully has not been surpassed in modern times.
"The Guinness Book of Records" facsimile edition is available exclusively on the Guinness World Records website www.guinnessworldrecords.com at £25 in a strictly-limited print-run of 5,000 copies. Each copy is individually numbered as a collector’s item.
# # #
NOTES TO EDITOR: Please contact press office for review copies or fact-checking of current records.
* Sample text from The Guinness Book of Records (1955) with present day comparisons:
Largest National Debt • 1955: The country with the largest national debt is the United States with a gross public debt of $271,259 million (96,780 million) or $1,670 (£596) per head • Present Day: The largest debtor nation in history is the United States. As of 9 January 2009, the US national debt stood at $10,635,772,096,222.74 (£6,963,531,082,944.11).
Highest newspaper circulation • 1955: The highest circulation of any newspaper in the world is that of the London Sunday paper ‘News of the World’ printed in Bouverie Street, London, which rises to 9,000,000 copies with an estimated readership of over 19,000,000. To provide sufficient pulp for the 62,400 five-mile reels, over half a million trees have to be felled each year. • Present Day: The newspaper with the highest daily circulation is the Yomiuri Shimbun, founded in 1874 and published Tokyo, which had a combined morning and evening circulation of 14,532,694 in 2005. • Six out of the top ten biggest-selling daily newspapers in the world are Japanese. In the UK, The Sun is the biggest daily, with an average circulation in 2005 of 3,718,354. The only other non-Asian paper in the top ten is Germany's Bild-Zeitung (5th with a circulation of 5,674,400).
African-American Rights • 1955: Lynching still persists in the United States. The worst year in the 20th Century was 1901 with 130 lynching’s (105 Negroes, 25 White) and 1952 the first year with no reported cases. • Present Day: Barack Hussein Obama II (USA) was inaugurated as the 44th President of the USA on 20 January 2009. Over 136 million voters turned out on election day – the most since 1960 – and more than two million descended on the Capitol in Washington, DC for his inauguration
Greatest Robbery of a Bank • 1955: The biggest ‘inside job’ was that at the National City Bank of New York from which the Assistant Manager, Richard Crowe, removed $883,660 (£315,590). He was arrested on 11th April, 1949. • Present Day: The largest amount of money stolen from a bank by robbers is estimated at 164,755,150 Brazilian reais ($69.8 million, £38.6 million).
Deepest Lake • 1955: The deepest lake in the world is Lake Baikal, Central Siberia. It is approximately 250 miles long abd between 20 and 45 miles wide. It reaches depths of 5,650 feet. • Present Day: Lake Baikal in the southern part of eastern Siberia, Russia is the deepest lake in the world. It is 620 km (385 miles) long and 32-74 km (20-46 miles) wide. In 1974 the lake's Olkhon Crevice was measured by the Hydrographic Service of the Soviet Pacific Navy and found to be 1,637 m (5,371 ft) deep, of which 1,181 m (3,875 ft) is below sea level.
Tallest Building • 1955: The tallest building in the world is the Empire State Building, New York. Standing on approximately two acres of ground, it is 1,472 feet high to the top of the television tower, which was added to the existing 1,250 feet building in 1950. • Present Day: Taipei 101 (also known as the Taipei Financial Centre) is the world's tallest building at 508 m (1,666 ft). It overtopped the Petronas Towers in mid August 2003, and reached its maximum height in October 2003, although it was only due to be completed in the summer of 2004
Largest Holiday Camp • 1955: The largest holiday camp in the world is Butlin’s FileyHoliday Camp. Every year more than 150,000 people spend a holiday there, and, in 1955, 9,000 holiday makers were accommodated during the peak weeks • Present Day: N/R
About Guinness World Records Guinness World Records is the universally recognized authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, the annual Guinness World Records book is published in more than 100 countries and 25 languages and is the highest-selling books under copyright of all time with more than 3 million copies sold annually across the globe. Guinness World Records celebrated its 50th anniversary edition in 2004, a year after the sale of its 100 millionth copy. Guinness World Records also annually publishes the Gamer’s Edition; a records book devoted solely to the world of computer gaming and high score record achievements. The Guinness World Records website (www.guinnessworldrecords.com) receives more than 11 million visitors a year. Guinness World Records is part of the Jim Pattison Group, one of Canada’s largest privately owned companies which is a conglomerate of interests, including advertising, broadcasting, grocery stores and automotive retailing. Media Enquiries: Amarilis Espinoza or Karolina Thelin. Phone: 0207 891 4516/4584 Email press@guinnessworldrecords.com.
Kimani Nganga Maruge, the world's oldest pupil, died earlier this year. Incase you missed the news, here's a short article from the BBC News website on the life of an inspirational figure
14 August 2009
Kenya's oldest pupil, Kimani Nganga Maruge, has died in Nairobi aged 90.
The great-grandfather held the Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to start primary school, at the age of 84.
His house in the Rift Valley was burnt down in post-election violence last year and he was later moved from a camp to an old people's home in the capital.
Despite the disruption, Mr Maruge kept hard at his studies and had two years left to finish his primary education.
Mr Maruge, a veteran of the Mau Mau independence movement, never had the opportunity to go to school when he was younger.
The father-of-five said he wanted to learn how to read the Bible for himself and he was also suspicious that he might not have been getting his full pension so he was also keen to study maths.
In 2004 he enrolled at Kapkenduywa primary school, in Eldoret, a year after the Kenyan government introduced free primary schooling.
With one of the best attendance records he was made a prefect in the school.
Two of his 30 grandchildren, who had been at the same school, said he had eventually wanted to complete a veterinary diploma.
'Courageous'
Mumbi Kamuri, head of Cheshire Homes in Kenya where Mr Maruge spent the last year of his life, told the BBC he was dedicated to his studies right to the end.
Even after he was diagnosed with cancer in February he asked for teachers to teach him at home, she said.
"He was a very courageous man," she said.
"Even if you don't see it through to the end, you will still have achieved something."
In 2005, he travelled to the United States where he called on world leaders attending a summit to make education for the poor a priority.
The BBC's Will Ross in Nairobi says he will be remembered by many people as an inspirational figure who brought new meaning to the phrase, "it's never too late".
On Sunday 20 September, I attended the attempt to set a new Guinness World Records™ feat for the largest paintbrush in Campina City, Romania. When I arrived in Campina City, I was immediately ushered towards the paintbrush, which was an impressive sight even before it was measured. As this was a new category, a minimum size had been set by Guinness World Records at 3 m (or around 10 times the normal size for a standard paintbrush, as laid out in the general guidelines for new categories of over-sized objects).
A well known local painter had been selected to paint with the brush at the event, as another of the guidelines stipulates that the object muct be functional.
Next, I was taken to meet the mayor, who welcomed me warmly and expressed his appreciation that I was there on behalf on Guinness World Records to adjudicate their attempt. After he had given his speech welcoming the five thousand strong crowd, he invited me up on stage to witness the measuring of the paintbrush. As I watched closely, a tape measure was unrolled along the huge brush. The length was 4 m and 35 cm, a new Guinness World Record.
I presented the mayor with an official Guinness World Records certificate for the largest paintbrush and then after addressing the press, stood back and watched as traditional Romanian dancers performed routines in celebration of the achievement. The mayor also presented me with a shield of the city, a rare honour. Later, I interviewed the mayor who explained that Campina City had a rich artistic heritage, which is why they had chosen to attempt this record. The pride and community spirit in his words were overwhelming.
After the event, I was taken by the organisers to see the house (now a museum) where the famous local painter Nicolae Grigorescu had lived, then, a castle that had been built by a local scientist, B P Hasdeu, in memory of his departed daughter, and a dam which stood over 100 metres high. It had been amazing to experience such great hospitality, national pride and dedication to human achievement.
I was very excited last week when I realised I was going to see a real custard pie fight on 13 August 2009, and one that could be the largest in the world. However, I had this strange feeling I was not going to be left out of the of food-related fracas...
When I arrived in East Mersea, near Colchester in Essex, UK, I was immediately impressed by the beauty of the surrounding coastline. The Centre for Outdoor Learning, where the record was due to take place, was bustling with happy children who were waiting anxiously to become world record holders.
The Jewish Lads’ and Girls’ Brigade (JLGB), the UK’s oldest Jewish youth organization, planned the record attempt to mark the end of the summer camp 2009. The group provides positive youth activities for Jewish children across the UK to develop their leadership skills and make them better citizens in the wider community.
There was such energy on the day. Everyone was very engaged and the excitement was rising every second from the moment we started. The volunteers had baked most of the pies themselves and filled them with inviting custard. I measured each cake carefully and made sure there was going to be enough pies for each participant.
Although the record is based on the number of participants, it is a requirement for each person taking part in the record to have access to at least 2 pies with a diameter of at least 6.5 in. And, of course, the adjudicator must make sure the pies are edible. Sometimes it is hard being a Guinness World Records™ official.
The area where the attempt was to take place was cordoned off and I counted all participants before the custard combat commenced. It was great to see several adults getting stuck in to the fight.
By 4 pm, the fight was over and record was broken – a total of 253 people had thrown 648 pies in a matter of moments, but I was not safe yet. As expected, someone wanted to make sure I would get my share of custard as well. Although I am more of a tiramisu person, I quite liked the custard...
The members of JLGB are truly amazing and they were delighted that they were able to break the world record for the most people in a custard pie fight! Their volunteer leaders work tirelessly and put in so much effort providing exciting and entertaining activities.
If there was a world record for the people with the most beautiful smiles, I would personally consider population of Indonesia for the award. In fact I will never forget the warmth of all the wonderful people I met in Manado, Indonesia, while on an adjudication recently.
On the 16 and 17 of August, thousands of scuba divers gathered at Malalayang beach in Manado, North Sulawesi, with the aim of setting a new Guinness World Records™ feat for the largest scuba diving lesson and to break the existing world record for the most people scuba diving simultaneously, previously set by 958 scuba divers off the Maldives in 2006.
Formed by the world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia includes more than 17,000 islands and is renowned worldwide for the immense beauty and range of its marine biodiversity.
Divers off Manado can see over 70% of all fish species that exist in the Indo-Western Pacific, and it is no surprise that divers who have swum in the clear Indonesian sea remain awe-struck by the experience.
So it wasn't such a hard task for Commodore Iskandar Sitompul of the Indonesian Navy to attract volunteers to participate the largest scuba diving lesson with an impressive total of 2,465 scuba divers on 16 August. The following day an even bigger contingent of divers, 2,486 in total, went head-first into the most people scuba diving simultaneously record attempt.
The scuba lesson included instruction on some basic scuba diving techniques, such as the mask recovery, and to make the dive on 17 of August even more special the event's organizers conducted a full ceremony underwater to celebrate the 64th anniversary of Indonesian independence.
Once the divers reached the bottom of the sea, a depth of about 15 meters, they all watched as Vice Admiral Moekhlas Sidik M.P. raised the red and white Indonesian flag underwater.
The divers paid respect to the flag and prayed silently together as the event was broadcasted live on TV and reported by a huge number of national and international journalists present at the event.
It was a touching experience and a very special way of celebrating the 64th national day of such a lively country.
I was particularly impressed by how well organized both record attempts were. There were no delays, no accidents and no last minutes surprises: everything was just perfect.
It was for me a great honour to award two official Guinness World Records certificates to the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy Admiral Tedjo Edhy Purdijatino S.H. during a ceremony in the evening.
Blog Posts With the Most Comments
GWR Official Statement
It has been brought to the attention of Guinness World Records that 11-year-old Michelito Lagravere’s recent killing of six calves in a bullfight in Merida, Mexico will be submitted to Guinness World Records for recognition as a potential world record.
Guinness World Records was not aware that this event was taking place, and will not recognise the result. We do not accept records based on the killing or harming of animals.
Seeds to Mt. Everest
Immediate Release: April 15, 2008
Winchester Public School Sending Seeds to
Top of Mount Everest
(Winchester) - Winchester Public School is making big news sending tiny seeds on a monumental climb up one of the world’s tallest mountains in a voyage meant to inspire interest in gardening.
Under the guidance of Educational Assistant Jeff Arsenault, students have launched the Seeds to Mount Everest project. The project is sending 5,000 sunflower seeds to the top of Mount Everest over the next few weeks with climbers participating in an International Mountain Guides (IMG) expedition. The school is working with Tacoma, Washington-based adventurer Eric Simonson, who helps run IMG guided trips to the top of the world’s most famous mountain and is currently leading a climb expected to hit the peak in mid May. Simonson is sending regular e-mails to the students reporting on the progress of the climb.
Arsenault devised the plan a few months ago as a way to help students take part in a neat horticultural project and to inspire a love of gardening. The idea is to send the seeds to the top of the mountain and then later redistribute them to elementary students across North America to grow over the summer months. Students will be asked to report back on any changes in the sunflower plants resulting from the exposure of the seeds to high altitudes.
“I’m always looking for a way to manipulate people into gardening,” says Arsenault with a grin. “I’m doing this to spread the message that gardening really is cool.”
He hopes the novel seeds will spark an interest in gardening among the younger generation. He wants students to grow the seeds into sunflowers and in turn pass on seeds from those plants to other students, turning them on to the joys of gardening as well.
“Gardening creates a peace of mind,” he explains. “It creates conscientiousness about life – a wisdom and ability to see things grow, live and die. Nowadays a lot of people are on a treadmill because things are going too quickly. Gardening is a tool for slowing things down. It creates patience, a sense of endurance and a wonder at seeing what you have helped nurture.”
Students at Winchester Public School are not the only ones interested in the project. Peers in Las Vegas, Nevada and New York City are also participating in the project after hearing about it on the Web. A special portion of the seeds will be sent to sick kids at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario to get them in on the fun and give them a diversion as they battle their illnesses.
…/2
-2-
Currently, the climbing team is delayed at a base camp near the bottom of the mountain after the Chinese government closed the north face of Everest until May 10 when the Olympic torch will pass through the area. Due to recent public demonstrations over Tibet, which have disrupted the torch run, the Chinese government is restricting movement of climbers until after the flame is through the area. The mountaineers will start climbing again on May 11 and the journey should be finished by May 31.
Arsenault is working on one other way to make the project fun for students. He has contacted Guinness World Records and will submit the project for world record consideration for the most seeds to the top of Everest.
-30-
For more information, please call:
Jeff Arsenault
Educational Assistant
Winchester Public School
613-774-2607
Greg Pietersma David K. Thomas
Chair
Michael Jackson dies at 50
Guinness World Records is saddened to hear of the death of Michael Jackson at the age of 50.
Jackson holds numerous Guinness World Records including the most Grammy Awards won in a year, most hit singles in the UK charts in a year, best selling album of all time, longest span of No.1 hits by an R&B artist, best selling music video, highest annual earnings ever for a pop star, and most successful pop music family.
Speaking in London tonight, Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief, Craig Glenday commented "I will always be immensely proud to know that Michael considered me a friend, and I know that everyone at Guinness World Records will be numb from hearing the news that this gentle, kind, shy man is no longer with us. On his last visit to the Guinness World Records office, he devoted a few valuable hours of his time being photographed with everyone, and we were all touched by his humility and willingness to please everyone present with autographs and photos. I'm honoured to have had the chance to spend some time with such a wonderfully talented artist - the man we called the Most Famous Living Man on Earth - and to present him with his favourite world record of all, the biggest selling album of all time, for Thriller, of course. He leaves behind an incredible musical legacy and a body of work unrivalled by any other performer."
26 June 2009
World's Oldest Dog Turns 21 Wi
Our sincerest birthday and congratulatory wishes go out to the record holding dachshund herself, Chanel, the Oldest Living Dog who turned a very impressive 21 years old on May 6th, 2009.
To celebrate this milestone, a birthday party was held in her honor at the New York Dog Spa & Hotel. The party was sponsored by Dogswell®, a privately owned pet food company which produces the treats in which her owners, Karl & Denise Shaugnessey of Port Jefferson, New York attribute the dog’s long life to. Guinness World Records representatives Jamie Panas & Kate White attended the birthday party and presented Chanel and her owners with an updated certificate.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Party on May 6 in New York City Features Guinness World Records® Presentation
What:
Chanel is 147 years old in dog years and will soon be 21 years old in human years. Just like your grandma, her hair is completely white, she gets cold easily and needs glasses (or in this case, “doggles” for her cataracts).
On May 6, 2009, DOGSWELL®, the fastest growing private pet food company in America, will throw Chanel a birthday bash at the New York Dog Hotel & Spa complete with an oversized birthday cake, many canine attendees and an official presentation by Guinness World Records®. Chanel, a dachshund and resident of Port Jefferson Station, NY, is a longtime fan of DOGSWELL’s® HAPPY HIPS® Lamb & Rice treats. Her owners, Denice and Karl Shaugnessey, attribute her long life and agile hips to the tasty treat.
When & Where:
May 6, 2009
12:30 p.m.
New York Dog Hotel & Spa
32 West 25th Street (Between 6th Ave. and Broadway)
New York, NY 10010
*Due to limited space, this event is not open to the public.
About DOGSWELL®
DOGSWELL® is located in Los Angeles, Calif., and was founded by Marco Giannini in 2004. DOGSWELL® and CATSWELL® products are carried in more than 5,000 pet stores and natural food stores nationwide. DOGSWELL® is proud to have donated over a million dollars of food and treats to shelters and rescues. For more information about DOGSWELL® products, please visit www.dogswell.com.
DOGSWELL® recently launched a Nationwide Bow-Wow Bailout. From April 15 – May 15, DOGSWELL® is offering one free bag of dry dog food to the first 10,000 eligible people who have either lost their job or received a pay decrease. Viewers can submit the DOGSWELL® Bow-Wow Bailout redemption form, which is available at www.dogswell.com, by emailing bailout@dogswell.com, or calling 1-888-559-8833.
Download full press release as pdf >>>
Tuesday 05th May 2009
Johnny Butten not the record h
Johnny Butten from England now living in the USA claims he is the Guinness records fastest banjo picker per this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU3kaKP9q80&feature=channel_page
I looked up the record on the official Guinness site and the fastest banjo picker record is held by Todd Taylor http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2007/12/071217.aspx
Who is the real fastest banjo picker record holder?
Lebanon breaks three Guinness
Beirut, 24-25 October 2009- Lebanon successfully made three entries into Guinness World Records for the largest ceramic plate, the largest serving of hummus and the largest tabbouleh plate. The event took place at Saifi Market in Downtown Beirut on 24 and 25 of October 2009 and also included various other entertaining activities.
250 Lebanese chefs from Kafaat catering school led by the famous Chef Ramzy in collaboration with the Association of Lebanese Industrialists came together on two consecutive days to break both records.
The first attempt for the largest hummus dish which was on 24 October 2009 reached an incredible 2056 kilograms, shattering the previous record of 362.8 kilograms set in New York in 2006. The recipe included 1,300 kg of chickpeas, 300lts of fresh lemon juice, and 400 kg of tahini, 13 kg garlic paste, 25 kg of salt and 125 kg of olive oil.
The tabbouleh record came only a day after Lebanon broke a Guinness World Records for the largest serving of hummus. The tabbouleh dish weighed in at an even more astonishing 3557 kilograms, which surpasses Israel’s previous record of 2359 kilograms.
The dish took a total of 6 hours to prepare and assemble and was prepared by 250 chefs from the Kafaat catering school.
Both dishes were prepared in the world’s largest ceramic plate designed by Lebanese engineer Joe Kabalan which weighed 2870 kg , measured 5.8 m in diameter and was designed to hold over 4 tons.
Guinness World Records™ adjudicator Talal Omar was on hand to authenticate the record. Mr Omar presented the certificates to Mr Fadi Abboud, the chairman of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists.
Largest singing lesson
Mix four parts barbershop harmony with equal parts showmanship and fun to write a melody pitch-perfect for Guinness World Records™ success!
Guinness World Records™ adjudicator Danny Girton Jr. observed the 24 October record attempt from the Sommet Center stage in Nashville, Tennessee – endearingly nicknamed ‘music city’ – to witness Tulsa, Oklahoma-based singing organization Sweet Adelines International earn the largest singing lesson title.
6,651 participants, led by International President Peggy Gram and 2009 International Champion Quartet Moxie Ladies, sang in unison throughout the complete record-setting lesson, which took place during the organization’s 63rd annual international competition and convention.
According to event sources, Sweet Adelines International is one of the globe’s biggest women’s singing organizations, dedicated to progressing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through performance and education. The group’s membership includes ‘nearly 25,000 singers, 1,200 registered quartets and 600 choruses in most of the fifty United States, Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden, The Netherlands and Wales.’
30 October 2009
Oldest Dog Dies at Age 21
We are saddened to hear the news that Chanel, a dachshund and Guinness World Record holder for the Oldest Living Dog (aged 21 years) passed away on Friday, August 28th, 2009 from natural causes at her home in Port Jefferson Station, on Long Island.
Known for her fondness of sweets and keen fashion sense, Chanel will always hold a place in record breaking canine history.
We had the pleasure of helping celebrate the dog’s longevity by presenting her owners, Karl & Denice Shaughnessy, with an updated certificate at Chanel’s 21st birthday party held at a dog spa in early May.
We extend our condolences to her owners and wish them all the best.
FAREWELL TO X GAMES 15
All most excellent things come to an end and so it is with a bag full of great memories that we say good bye to X Games for another year...but what a show it was!
Guinness World Records was there for everyone who chose to step up and take up the challenge of trying to get into the record book and we thank everyone who took part. From athletes, to all the visitors to the Guinness World Records Skate Park and BMX Park. To all those who stopped by to win a book or pick up a goodie bag, a big thumbs up to everybody who made it all so memorable.
We cannot leave however before mentioning a young man who chose to come to the booth and have a go at the Guinness World Record for most kicks to one's own head. Yes, you read correctly. The record for most kicks to one's own head in one minute is 77 and this young man decided he wanted to see if he could break it. So right there, in the hot Californian sun, in the middle of X Fest and in front of our Editor Craig Glenday he gave it his best. To say it was a crowd stopper is to say the least but as the seconds ticked away, the young man furiously kicked himself again and again in the head. The clock stopped. He stopped. The result? 77 kicks made equalling the current Guinness World Record!! As you can see below the young man was thrilled he had made his way into our book and was forever a part of superlative history - good on you sir!
Halfway through the day I thought to myself that if there was ever going to be a day that I would ride a skateboard it was going to be at the X Games so I grabbed Craig and proceed to the Skate Park. After a bit of huffing and puffing as well as some pieces of duct tape (don't ask) we were both suited and booted to hit the...er...concrete. It seemed to last an eternity but we gave it our best and for 10 minutes Craig and I enjoyed the thrills and spills of riding a skateboard for the very first time. We were both excellent I have to say, up until the point where my skateboard crashed into Craig's as he was just about to launch himself into an amazing sequence of 360-mctwists-double-ketchup-swifty-fakies. Oh! How we are more in awe now of all the young boys and girls who seem to ride these little boards with four wheels with such grace!
An impromptu Guinness World Record attempt also took place at the Mattel Fingerboard booth in which if you sent a message to a particular number you received an X Games 15 fingerboard. They wanted to go for the most people simultaneously texting. After some rallying from the MC, around 37 texters turned up and pressed "Send" all at the same time. Not a big number but good enough to start the record off...I wonder how many will there be the next time it's attempted?
And that was that. The hot sun, the crowds, the amazing level of athletes, the sights and sounds (and smells!) of X Games 15 gradually faded away and we were left to put away our booth in the quiet Los Angeles sunshine. What a fantastic event it was. Many thanks not only to all the X Games staff who were there but also GWR's own Laura, Michael, David, Paul, Dan and of course Craig (sadly missing from the photo above) who gave it their all this year and helped to make it one of the most memorable years for Guinness World Records at X Games ever!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY X GAMES! HERE'S TO ANOTHER RECORD-BREAKING 15 YEARS!!
Largest cupcake
What’s yellow and round but not the sun? A cupcake that’s loaded with frosting and fun!
Sugary disclaimer aside, Minnesotan pastry chef JodiLee Knops helped Cakes.com bake up a sweet treat fit to warrant the title of largest cupcake!
Baked over the course of 13 hours, the 68.36-kg (150-lb 11.2-oz) creation stood 30.48 cm (12 in) tall, spread 60.96 cm (24 in) wide and was decorated to resemble Nickelodeon network’s cartoon character SpongeBob Squarepants. Guinness World Records'™ Adjudicator Danny Girton Jr was on hand to offiicially recognize the achievement as a GWR record.
The fudge-filled cupcake was created as part of Mall of America’s SpongeBob SquarePants' 10th anniversary celebration.
According to event organizers, the scaled-up cupcake could yield 1,500 servings.
No matter how you serve up JodiLee’s achievement, she has her recipe for success down pat!
Cakes.com is the consumer website of DecoPac, a prominent cake decoration supplier and marketer. DecoPac's mission is to serve the professional cake decorating market with unique, innovative, quality products.
18 July 2009
Most People Kissing Simultaneo
On Saturday, 14 February 2009 – Valentine’s Day – 39,897 people gathered in the Plaza de la Constitución, the main square in Mexico City, Mexico, to beat the record for the most people kissing simultaneously.
From 10 a.m., Mexico City Town Hall offered multiple activities to the visitors. DIF-DF, Culture and Tourism Secretaries, and Youth and Woman Institutes set up stands in order to promote a culture of respect, plurality and love, which they hoped would last longer than for just this 14 February, through information, conferences and recreational activities.
From 4 p.m., the presenter Gabriela Ruffo was in charge of warming the attendance up and inviting passers-by to join the event. There were also performances by Tiaré Scanda, Carlos Payés and DJ Martín Parra.
After Susana Zabaleta’s performance of that internationally famous song “Bésame Mucho” by Consuelito Velázquez, and in front of 40,225 Mexicans and tourists at the Plaza de la Constitución, the countdown to the record attempt began.
For a 10-second period, couples, families and friends, sent a message of peace, freedom, diversity, respect and non-violence to the world through hugs and kisses of every kind. “The City of Mexico has shown to the country and to the entire world that here life can be lived with no fear and you can breath tolerance. In this city you can go out and be kissed, you can show your affection,” stated the secretary of tourism from the Mexico City Government, Mr Alejandro Rojas Díaz Durán.
That Saturday, at 7 p.m. Guinness World Records Adjudicator Carlos Martínez announced: “It is official: the new Guinness World Records™ record for the most people kissing simultaneously has just been broken in Mexico City, Plaza de la Constitución, with 39,897 participants.”
Carlos Martínez also added that the official figures showed a total of 40,225 people in the square 20 minutes before the record attempt; more and more people were gathering in the Plaza de la Constitución all the time, but as not all attendants kissed, not all of them could be included in the final official figure for the record. However, more than 95% of people participated, with a figure large enough to break the previous record set in Weston-super-Mare, UK, last June, with 32,648 people kissing at one time.
After the record attempt was over, the fair named “Amor es... sin Violencia, Bésame mucho” (“Love is… no Violence, Kiss me much”) ended with a concert by Mexican singer Vicente Fernández, attended by more than 200,000 people.
27 February 2009
The "Gamers Bible" Returns wit
LONDON (4th February, 2009) - The globally-recognised authority on record-breaking achievements, Guinness World Records, announces the latest and greatest in video gaming with the publication of Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer’s Edition. As Great Britain experiences the heaviest snowfall in eighteen years, launch celebrations for the UK version are postponed until 11th February.
Hailed by critics as the “gamer’s bible” in 2008, this year’s edition promises to keep gamers occupied for hours with 216 pages of original records, facts and trivia. The all new 2009 Gamer’s Edition encompasses everything from the history of gaming to individual scores and facts from all genres of video games.
Records include the Largest Virtual Army (America’s Army, with more than 8 million registered users – almost 15 times larger than the actual US Army); the Longest Drum Marathon On Rock Band (26 hrs, 40 min); Most Controls on a Video Game (Steel Battalion, which features 49 different input devices, including foot pedals, a gear level, two control sticks and a button that activates in-screen windscreen wipers); Most Successful Entertainment Product Launch (Grand Theft Auto IV); and the Most Played Online Game (Call of Duty 4, with more than 1.3 million players daily on Xbox 360 alone).
Editor-in-Chief of Guinness World Records, Craig Glenday, says: “Our intention behind Gamer’s Edition is to offer a snapshot of the gaming universe uniquely through the eyes of Guinness World Records – in a format that appeals to both casual and hardcore gamers.”
The book covers all consoles and gaming levels, as well as a special section on banned and controversial games (pinball machines were banned in the U.S. for 34 years), War Games (Metal Gear, Call of Duty, Medal of Honor), Superhero Games (Batman, Spider-Man, Superman), Space Games (Star Trek, Wing Commander, Star Wars). The 2009 Gamer’s Edition also features interviews with key gaming industry heroes, such as Ralph H. Baer, investigates the growing craze in healthy gaming, and offers Twin Galaxies’ leaderboard of high scores and fastest times.
Concurring with Glenday’s view, records manager and gaming specialist Gaz Deaves adds: “As with the amazing achievements in the main book, we are always happy to welcome new record breakers in to Gamer’s Edition and the Guinness World Records family. Anybody who’s dedicated to breaking a record in the video gaming world can contact us with a claim through our website www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gamers.”
To celebrate the UK launch of the new edition on the 11th of February, British eccentric motoring inventor Edd China will unveil his latest wacky creation on four wheels – the Fastest Mobile Gaming Rig. Complete with all three “current generation” consoles and monitors, this unique piece of mobile furniture will tour the streets of London with three gamers onboard after setting a speed record on the A40.
Also in celebration of the UK launch, the world’s Youngest Professional Gamer, Lil Poison (Victor De Leon III), is due to visit London for the very first time on 9th February. 10-year old, Long Island (NY) native, Lil Poison claimed the title after signing with MLG recruiters as a Pro Gamer at the age of six.
Today, on the other side of the pond, reigning Guinness World Record-holder Danny Johnson will attempt to reclaim his “Guitar God” status on Guitar Hero® III: Legends of Rock in New York City. Johnson will try to best the previous record of 899,703 points on Guitar Hero’s toughest song – “Through the Fire and Flames”.
Even prior to its launch, 2009 Gamer’s Edition received critical acclaim from with Kotaku, stating: “With entries for professional gaming, top selling games in history, the history of hardware and Guitar Hero, the Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer's Edition looks to be a must have for fans of gaming.”
World Record, 1 fingernail Hol
Hello to the world, come challenge me. watch this video! see u can do it or not!!
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1271706/worlds_new_record_1_fingernail_hold_10_pen_funny/
Where in the World is Sultan?
Friday, October 23rd - Saturday, October 24th 2009
Sultan heads north to the cooler climate of Iceland after mixing it up in Spain and Portugal. Read on as Kelly continues to keep us abreast of where in the world Sultan is today and what he's been getting up to!
Reykjavík, Iceland - famous for the 1986 Summit between former U.S. president Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev - warmly welcomed Sultan to its shores and boy were they excited about his arrival! In fact, even the flight crew on Icelandic Airways had been briefed about Sultan's visit and a flight-attendant transformed into an on-board photographer during the flight snapping dozens of shots of Sultan with the Captain and other crew members!
More surprises were in store for Sultan upon his arrival to his hotel room, when he was overjoyed to see a custom-made armchair especially made to accomodate his record-breaking size. We wondered whether it was the largest armchair in the world actually! Sultan was so thrilled about it that the maker of the sofa even kindly agreed to send the sofa to Turkey. In addition to this the Icelandair Hotel, where Sultan was staying, informed him that his room will be named after him complete with a duplicate sofa and photos of Sultan as a permanent fixture in celebration of his visit.
Sultan was officially a rock star in Iceland.
Later that day, after his first television interview, Sultan headed to the site of the Reykjavík Summit (the former French consulate) called Höfði to take a few pictures along with a few shots of the breathtaking views. Iceland sure is a beautiful country.
At midday, Sultan was then joined by Iceland Today for an interview followed by a press conference with local journalists. Later, he then met the families and children of the Icelandic publishers of the Guinness World Records 2010 book for a photo shoot and book signing using his very own fingerprint. Sultan is a big swimmer - literally - and wrapped up his day with a relaxing swim followed by a hot jacuzzi.
The following day, Sultan visited Smaralind Shopping Mall (the largest in Iceland) which hosted an event at which hundreds of locals turned up to meet him and get their copies of Guinness World Records 2010 autographed with his fingerprint. A life-size ad was placed in front of the store so people could measure themselves against Sultan. Over 700 books were bought that day and it was estimated that around 12,000 visitors stopped by the event! That's around 4% of Iceland's population - WHAT!? Closing the event, Sultan spoke to the crowds saying that although it was a very cold place, he had truly been touched by the overwhelming warmth of the people, especially by the staff at his hotel - TAKK (thank you) ICELAND!
Sultan heads back to Turkey for a short break but is back on the road on November 7th.
Stay tuned to find out where in the world Sultan's going next!
It's Back! The Original Guinne
London, UK (22nd of October, 2009) – The global authority on record-breaking achievement, Guinness World Records, today launched an exact replica of the very first “Guinness Book of Records” in a limited and individually-numbered facsimile edition available exclusively for purchase at the company’s website (www.guinnessworldrecords.com).
The phenomenon of Guinness World Records began in September 1955 when the Chairman of the Guinness Brewery, Sir Hugh Beaver, decided to publish a volume of definite facts, in hopes that such a book would put an end to pub arguments. The very first Guinness Book of Records was printed in 1,000 copies with a plastic cover to protect it from beer stains and despite an initial skepticism from retailers (WHSmith ordered five copies), the book became an instant hit, was reprinted and reached bestseller status by Christmas the same year.
55 years later, the current Guinness World Records 2010 edition is published in 26 languages, 3 million copies and sold in 100 countries around the world. Although the popularity of Guinness World Records has remained steady for half a century the world that the record-keeping company measures has certainly seen some changes.
Editor-in-Chief of Guinness World Records, Craig Glenday, said: “The world is moving at a dizzying pace and we’ve been there documenting and celebrating the changes for half a century. By reproducing our very first edition, we can offer a snapshot of the world in the 1950s and a true sense of how our planet and its inhabitants have changed in the past 55 years.”
“Guinness Book of Records” will take today’s readers back to a time when the most expensive bottle of perfume was Jean Patou’s “joy” from Paris retailing at 103 s. 6d. per ¼ oz (£225 per pint), compared to the current record attributed to the limited edition of Clive Christian No.1 Collection priced at £115,000 ($205,000) per 500 ml (17 fl oz); and the tallest building was the Empire State Building in New York at 448.7 m (1,472 ft), which is nearly half the size of the Burj Dubai, “Dubai Tower,” which today tops out at a record breaking 818 m (2,648 ft).
Readers will also notice that a category such as “uncontrolled drinking,” which is no longer monitored by Guinness World Records, appears in the very first edition with record holders Auguste Maffrey (France) and Spaniard Dionsio Sanchez (Spain), who consumed 24 pints of beer in 52 minutes and 40 pints of wine in 59 minutes, respectively. Other records remain unbroken until this day, including the largest diamond (a 3106 carat diamond found in 1905 in South Africa) and the tallest man ever (American Robert Pershing Wadlow 2.72 m - 8 ft 11.1 in). Not to mention the largest pandemic (Black Death in 1347 eradicating around a quarter of the population of Europe and some 75 million worldwide) - a record which thankfully has not been surpassed in modern times.
"The Guinness Book of Records" facsimile edition is available exclusively on the Guinness World Records website www.guinnessworldrecords.com at £25 in a strictly-limited print-run of 5,000 copies. Each copy is individually numbered as a collector’s item.
# # #
NOTES TO EDITOR: Please contact press office for review copies or fact-checking of current records.
* Sample text from The Guinness Book of Records (1955) with present day comparisons:
Largest National Debt
• 1955: The country with the largest national debt is the United States with a gross public debt of $271,259 million (96,780 million) or $1,670 (£596) per head
• Present Day: The largest debtor nation in history is the United States. As of 9 January 2009, the US national debt stood at $10,635,772,096,222.74 (£6,963,531,082,944.11).
Highest newspaper circulation
• 1955: The highest circulation of any newspaper in the world is that of the London Sunday paper ‘News of the World’ printed in Bouverie Street, London, which rises to 9,000,000 copies with an estimated readership of over 19,000,000. To provide sufficient pulp for the 62,400 five-mile reels, over half a million trees have to be felled each year.
• Present Day: The newspaper with the highest daily circulation is the Yomiuri Shimbun, founded in 1874 and published Tokyo, which had a combined morning and evening circulation of 14,532,694 in 2005.
• Six out of the top ten biggest-selling daily newspapers in the world are Japanese. In the UK, The Sun is the biggest daily, with an average circulation in 2005 of 3,718,354. The only other non-Asian paper in the top ten is Germany's Bild-Zeitung (5th with a circulation of 5,674,400).
African-American Rights
• 1955: Lynching still persists in the United States. The worst year in the 20th Century was 1901 with 130 lynching’s (105 Negroes, 25 White) and 1952 the first year with no reported cases.
• Present Day: Barack Hussein Obama II (USA) was inaugurated as the 44th President of the USA on 20 January 2009. Over 136 million voters turned out on election day – the most since 1960 – and more than two million descended on the Capitol in Washington, DC for his inauguration
Greatest Robbery of a Bank
• 1955: The biggest ‘inside job’ was that at the National City Bank of New York from which the Assistant Manager, Richard Crowe, removed $883,660 (£315,590). He was arrested on 11th April, 1949.
• Present Day: The largest amount of money stolen from a bank by robbers is estimated at 164,755,150 Brazilian reais ($69.8 million, £38.6 million).
Deepest Lake
• 1955: The deepest lake in the world is Lake Baikal, Central Siberia. It is approximately 250 miles long abd between 20 and 45 miles wide. It reaches depths of 5,650 feet.
• Present Day: Lake Baikal in the southern part of eastern Siberia, Russia is the deepest lake in the world. It is 620 km (385 miles) long and 32-74 km (20-46 miles) wide. In 1974 the lake's Olkhon Crevice was measured by the Hydrographic Service of the Soviet Pacific Navy and found to be 1,637 m (5,371 ft) deep, of which 1,181 m (3,875 ft) is below sea level.
Tallest Building
• 1955: The tallest building in the world is the Empire State Building, New York. Standing on approximately two acres of ground, it is 1,472 feet high to the top of the television tower, which was added to the existing 1,250 feet building in 1950.
• Present Day: Taipei 101 (also known as the Taipei Financial Centre) is the world's tallest building at 508 m (1,666 ft). It overtopped the Petronas Towers in mid August 2003, and reached its maximum height in October 2003, although it was only due to be completed in the summer of 2004
Largest Holiday Camp
• 1955: The largest holiday camp in the world is Butlin’s FileyHoliday Camp. Every year more than 150,000 people spend a holiday there, and, in 1955, 9,000 holiday makers were accommodated during the peak weeks
• Present Day: N/R
About Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records is the universally recognized authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, the annual Guinness World Records book is published in more than 100 countries and 25 languages and is the highest-selling books under copyright of all time with more than 3 million copies sold annually across the globe. Guinness World Records celebrated its 50th anniversary edition in 2004, a year after the sale of its 100 millionth copy. Guinness World Records also annually publishes the Gamer’s Edition; a records book devoted solely to the world of computer gaming and high score record achievements. The Guinness World Records website (www.guinnessworldrecords.com) receives more than 11 million visitors a year. Guinness World Records is part of the Jim Pattison Group, one of Canada’s largest privately owned companies which is a conglomerate of interests, including advertising, broadcasting, grocery stores and automotive retailing.
Media Enquiries: Amarilis Espinoza or Karolina Thelin. Phone: 0207 891 4516/4584
Email press@guinnessworldrecords.com.
A lesson to be learnt..
Kimani Nganga Maruge, the world's oldest pupil, died earlier this year. Incase you missed the news, here's a short article from the BBC News website on the life of an inspirational figure
14 August 2009
Kenya's oldest pupil, Kimani Nganga Maruge, has died in Nairobi aged 90.
The great-grandfather held the Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to start primary school, at the age of 84.
His house in the Rift Valley was burnt down in post-election violence last year and he was later moved from a camp to an old people's home in the capital.
Despite the disruption, Mr Maruge kept hard at his studies and had two years left to finish his primary education.
Mr Maruge, a veteran of the Mau Mau independence movement, never had the opportunity to go to school when he was younger.
The father-of-five said he wanted to learn how to read the Bible for himself and he was also suspicious that he might not have been getting his full pension so he was also keen to study maths.
In 2004 he enrolled at Kapkenduywa primary school, in Eldoret, a year after the Kenyan government introduced free primary schooling.
With one of the best attendance records he was made a prefect in the school.
Two of his 30 grandchildren, who had been at the same school, said he had eventually wanted to complete a veterinary diploma.
'Courageous'
Mumbi Kamuri, head of Cheshire Homes in Kenya where Mr Maruge spent the last year of his life, told the BBC he was dedicated to his studies right to the end.
Even after he was diagnosed with cancer in February he asked for teachers to teach him at home, she said.
"He was a very courageous man," she said.
"Even if you don't see it through to the end, you will still have achieved something."
In 2005, he travelled to the United States where he called on world leaders attending a summit to make education for the poor a priority.
The BBC's Will Ross in Nairobi says he will be remembered by many people as an inspirational figure who brought new meaning to the phrase, "it's never too late".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8202378.stm
The largest paintbrush
On Sunday 20 September, I attended the attempt to set a new Guinness World Records™ feat for the largest paintbrush in Campina City, Romania. When I arrived in Campina City, I was immediately ushered towards the paintbrush, which was an impressive sight even before it was measured. As this was a new category, a minimum size had been set by Guinness World Records at 3 m (or around 10 times the normal size for a standard paintbrush, as laid out in the general guidelines for new categories of over-sized objects).
A well known local painter had been selected to paint with the brush at the event, as another of the guidelines stipulates that the object muct be functional.
Next, I was taken to meet the mayor, who welcomed me warmly and expressed his appreciation that I was there on behalf on Guinness World Records to adjudicate their attempt. After he had given his speech welcoming the five thousand strong crowd, he invited me up on stage to witness the measuring of the paintbrush. As I watched closely, a tape measure was unrolled along the huge brush. The length was 4 m and 35 cm, a new Guinness World Record.
I presented the mayor with an official Guinness World Records certificate for the largest paintbrush and then after addressing the press, stood back and watched as traditional Romanian dancers performed routines in celebration of the achievement. The mayor also presented me with a shield of the city, a rare honour. Later, I interviewed the mayor who explained that Campina City had a rich artistic heritage, which is why they had chosen to attempt this record. The pride and community spirit in his words were overwhelming.
After the event, I was taken by the organisers to see the house (now a museum) where the famous local painter Nicolae Grigorescu had lived, then, a castle that had been built by a local scientist, B P Hasdeu, in memory of his departed daughter, and a dam which stood over 100 metres high. It had been amazing to experience such great hospitality, national pride and dedication to human achievement.
By Jack Brockbank
Tuesday 22 September 2009
Largest Custard Pie Fight
I was very excited last week when I realised I was going to see a real custard pie fight on 13 August 2009, and one that could be the largest in the world. However, I had this strange feeling I was not going to be left out of the of food-related fracas...
When I arrived in East Mersea, near Colchester in Essex, UK, I was immediately impressed by the beauty of the surrounding coastline. The Centre for Outdoor Learning, where the record was due to take place, was bustling with happy children who were waiting anxiously to become world record holders.
The Jewish Lads’ and Girls’ Brigade (JLGB), the UK’s oldest Jewish youth organization, planned the record attempt to mark the end of the summer camp 2009. The group provides positive youth activities for Jewish children across the UK to develop their leadership skills and make them better citizens in the wider community.
There was such energy on the day. Everyone was very engaged and the excitement was rising every second from the moment we started. The volunteers had baked most of the pies themselves and filled them with inviting custard. I measured each cake carefully and made sure there was going to be enough pies for each participant.
Although the record is based on the number of participants, it is a requirement for each person taking part in the record to have access to at least 2 pies with a diameter of at least 6.5 in. And, of course, the adjudicator must make sure the pies are edible. Sometimes it is hard being a Guinness World Records™ official.
The area where the attempt was to take place was cordoned off and I counted all participants before the custard combat commenced. It was great to see several adults getting stuck in to the fight.
By 4 pm, the fight was over and record was broken – a total of 253 people had thrown 648 pies in a matter of moments, but I was not safe yet. As expected, someone wanted to make sure I would get my share of custard as well. Although I am more of a tiramisu person, I quite liked the custard...
The members of JLGB are truly amazing and they were delighted that they were able to break the world record for the most people in a custard pie fight! Their volunteer leaders work tirelessly and put in so much effort providing exciting and entertaining activities.
19 August 2009
The Largest Scuba Diving Lesso
If there was a world record for the people with the most beautiful smiles, I would personally consider population of Indonesia for the award. In fact I will never forget the warmth of all the wonderful people I met in Manado, Indonesia, while on an adjudication recently.
On the 16 and 17 of August, thousands of scuba divers gathered at Malalayang beach in Manado, North Sulawesi, with the aim of setting a new Guinness World Records™ feat for the largest scuba diving lesson and to break the existing world record for the most people scuba diving simultaneously, previously set by 958 scuba divers off the Maldives in 2006.
Formed by the world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia includes more than 17,000 islands and is renowned worldwide for the immense beauty and range of its marine biodiversity.
Divers off Manado can see over 70% of all fish species that exist in the Indo-Western Pacific, and it is no surprise that divers who have swum in the clear Indonesian sea remain awe-struck by the experience.
So it wasn't such a hard task for Commodore Iskandar Sitompul of the Indonesian Navy to attract volunteers to participate the largest scuba diving lesson with an impressive total of 2,465 scuba divers on 16 August. The following day an even bigger contingent of divers, 2,486 in total, went head-first into the most people scuba diving simultaneously record attempt.
The scuba lesson included instruction on some basic scuba diving techniques, such as the mask recovery, and to make the dive on 17 of August even more special the event's organizers conducted a full ceremony underwater to celebrate the 64th anniversary of Indonesian independence.
Once the divers reached the bottom of the sea, a depth of about 15 meters, they all watched as Vice Admiral Moekhlas Sidik M.P. raised the red and white Indonesian flag underwater.
The divers paid respect to the flag and prayed silently together as the event was broadcasted live on TV and reported by a huge number of national and international journalists present at the event.
It was a touching experience and a very special way of celebrating the 64th national day of such a lively country.
I was particularly impressed by how well organized both record attempts were. There were no delays, no accidents and no last minutes surprises: everything was just perfect.
It was for me a great honour to award two official Guinness World Records certificates to the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy Admiral Tedjo Edhy Purdijatino S.H. during a ceremony in the evening.
19 August 2009
horse ploughing?
can anyone help?????? id like to know the record for the amount of horses used to plough a field at the same time? in ireland, or the world!