DAVID ADAMS provides a round-up of some stories on the odder side of life…
Chef Frederick Schoen-Kiewert serves The Creme de la Creme Pommes Frites, the world’s most expensive french fries, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, at Serendipity 3 restaurant New York City, New York, US, on 23rd July. PICTURE: Reuters/Eduardo Munoz.
• From the dog with the longest ears to the world’s tallest teenager, Guinness World Records reveals its latest record breakers in the 2022 edition of the popular book. The annual publication, out this week, features an array of records and feats, including the fastest walking on hands and the most skips over a person’s own hair in 30 seconds. Briton Bethany Lodge, a gymnast since a young age, scored the titles of fastest 100 metre forward rolls – in 42.64 seconds – and the most backwards somersault burpees by a female in 30 seconds – five, while American Zion Clark, who was born without legs, took the record for fastest 20 metres walking on hands, achieving the feat in 4.78 seconds and Laetitia Ky from Ivory Coast set the record for most skips over a person’s own hair in 30 seconds – 60. The title of tallest teenager living (male) went to Canadian Olivier Rioux, with a height of 226.9 cm (7 ft and 5.33 in) while Lou, whose owner is American Paige Olsen, took the record of longest ears on a dog (living). His ears are 34 centimetres long. Dog and cat duo Lollipop and Sashimi, from Canada, earned the record of fastest five metres on a scooter by a dog and cat (pair), with a time of 4.37 seconds.
• The slimmest house in the US city of Boston – measuring just three metres across at its widest point – has sold for $1.25 million. The “Skinny House” was apparently built in the city’s North End during a family feud that took place against the backdrop of the US Civil War. A soldier returning home from the war is said to have found that his brother had built on land left to both of them by their father, leaving him with just a thin sliver of free land. In retaliation, legend has it that he built the green house – which is also nicknamed the “Spite House” – to block the sunlight into his brother’s larger, adjacent home. Listed for $US1.2 million, it reportedly sold for $US1.25 million.
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• A top European Commission official followed the thread of her boss’ annual “state of the union” address on Wednesday by knitting. Margrethe Vestager, who is in charge of ensuring fair business competition in the EU, sat calmly knitting in the European Parliament in Strasbourg while Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen delivered her hour-long policy address. She was filmed by the EU broadcaster but it was not clear what she was making. She has posted photographs online of green and yellow elephants in the past. Vestager, who is Danish, said on Twitter in 2018: “Knitting keeps you focused.”
– With SARAH MILLS and MARIE-LOUISE GUMUCHIAN in London, UK, and YVES HERMAN in Strasbourg, France/Reuters.
