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Staffordshire Longest Toy Train Track set World Record



The world’s longest toy train track was today unveiled in the grounds of a Staffordshire theme park.

A team has spent two days assembling the track’s 10,530 pieces at Drayton Manor Theme Park near Tamworth, and the completed structure is long enough to surround the football pitch at Wembley five times.

Drayton Manor’s attempt has hit its target 1,800 metres, and the park is now waiting with baited breath for official confirmation from Guinness that is has smashed the world record – which currently stands at 1,650.14 metres at Thomas Land in Japan.

Drayton Manor, which recently became home to Europe’s only Thomas Land attraction, teamed up with toymakers Tomy and Hit Entertainment to try and break the world record.

Tomy’s chief executive Robert Mann said the team wanted to design “the most magnificent train track in the world”.

He said: “It was a challenge to build, but after a bit of huffing and puffing we have reached our destination and now have a fantastic 1.8km long train set. We are waiting with great anticipation for Guinness World Records to confirm we have broken the world record.”

Drayton Manor’s managing director Colin Bryan said it was “an amazing occasion”.

Excited young Thomas the Tank Engine fans were at the park today to catch the first glimpse of the lengthy structure, which – were it a full-scale train track – would measure 89 miles long, the same distance as the M40 motorway. The track will be on displayat Drayton Manor today.

Biggest Twitchers set Bird Watching Guinness Record

AS A bird watching destination, Leeton is set to gain even more kudos after becoming the site for the record breaking “biggest twitch”.

The self-proclaimed hardcore twitchers, Ian Davies and Ruth Miller set out determined to break the bird watching world record for the number of species seen in a year.

Ten months and thousands of kilometres later their efforts were rewarded.

Their commitment to the cause was such that they sold their homes, quit their jobs and packed their lives up to take off around the world, beginning in Arizona.

The magic number, 3663, one more species than spotted in 1989 by an American twitcher, was reached in Griffith on Friday with a blue bonnet spotted at the golf course.

The trip was always about bird watching, but only became competitive when spurred on by fellow twitchers and soon escalated into dedicated note taking, blurry eyed 3.30am starts and fierce determination to “smash the record.”

“We have been totally dedicated every single day since January 1st,” Mr Davies said.

“We have been back to the UK, but only really to change planes.”

Mr Davies said the couple have not been out to spot rare birds, but any bird to add to the ever-growing compilation of species.

“Every bird counts the same,” Ms Miller said.

As both have to see and identify each bird, the couple have spent little more than minutes apart, which both agree has been a challenge.

Their only other steady companion has been a stuffed Toucan, Tocu, who has been a constant feature in Ms Miller’s daily blog.

Ms Miller, a freelance marketing executive and Mr Davies, a site manager for the Royal Society of Protection of Birds, met through their shared passion for bird watching and are aiming to raise awareness of conservation.

The ambitious birders now have their sights on co-writing a book on their adventures, a challenge, they agree could be far more difficult.

“We know there will be some interest as we have had around 600 hits a day on our site,” Ms Miller said.

Joscha Forstreuter Highest Bicycle Ramp Jump set World Record

Felt’s own Joscha Forstreuter and riding partner Timo Pritzel both were invited to participate in the recent Guinness World Record Show in China and each came home co-world record holders. Here is how Joscha described the experience:

“Nie Hao to everybody!

“Timo Pritzel and I just got back from being invited by the Chinese CCTV channel in Beijing to be part of the "Guinness World Record Show". This show had 60 million viewers last year, and this year they expect even more. I was pretty excited and visiting China for the first time made it even more special to me. Our record attempt was officially called "Highest Bicycle Ramp Jump". 5.12m was the old record, set by Timo eight years ago on a BMX bike. We were both unsure if we could top that on a mountain bike, especially with the bigger wheels. But, I was feeling very comfortable on my new Felt "Sure Shot" dirt jump bike and the ramps they built for the record attempt were perfect. The 8m high roll-in gave us tons of speed to hit the 1.80m launch-ramp and 3m high ramp landing.

“We started by 4.50m which wasn't too big of a deal. The next height of 5.00m looked way more impressive. It's totally different to jump over a high-jump pole. To me it's much scarier than a normal jump. It looks like one big wall even knowing it's not very dangerous to hit the pole. Even so, you still do not want to hit it.

“With two attempts at each height, Timo hit the pole at 5.00m, but then made it easily on his second try. The next height was 5.20m, the new record. From top of the start ramp it looked so high and I was quite sure I wouldn't make it on my first try. But, I pedaled hard down the 8m start ramp and pulling just right on the launch ramp and I took the 5.20m without touching the pole! Timo was next and he also cleared it! Both of us had the record under the belt. We decided to stop right there at 5.20m and share the record. The TV-Crew was happy and we were even more stoked!”

Las Vegas Boy set a World record by Collecting Business Cards

Last year, Brandon Rayner beat out a brain tumor. He was a survivor. Then, as if that weren't enough, Brandon was diagnosed with leukemia, a type of cancer of the blood. He didn't have enough strength for this battle. On Christmas Eve, after months of chemotherapy and two bone marrow transplants, the 10-year-old Las Vegas boy who was trying to set a world record by collecting business cards died.

His parents, Jo and Moe Rayner, were with him when he died at Phoenix Children's Hospital in Arizona, said his sister, Brittany.

Brandon was taken to the hospital in October for bone marrow transplants.

The first transplant was unsuccessful, his family said. Although he underwent a second bone marrow transplant, he was too weak to handle a lung infection, Brittany Rayner, 25, said.

"He couldn't fight it,'' she said.

This past summer, Brandon began his quest to collect the most business cards so that his name could be included in the Guinness World Records.

At the time, he figured he needed to gather more than 150,000 cards. But Guinness officials said there was no number on record for the feat.

By July, Brandon had collected 14,000 cards while undergoing treatment at Sunrise Children's Hospital in Las Vegas. By September, his stockpile had swelled to more than 500,000.

Officials at Sunrise said Brandon counted just over 900,000 cards before his death.

But there are boxes of cards that have yet to be counted, said Ashlee Seymour, a hospital spokeswoman.

"The family is no longer collecting cards at this point,'' she said Tuesday. "They still plan to pursue the record in Brandon's honor."

Jo Rayner said that she submitted the application to Guinness for the record on her son's behalf in September but that she had not heard back from the company.

In a previous interview about her son's quest, Rayner said Brandon always showed a fascination with collecting things. However, she said, "I didn't think it would go this far. Ever since he was 2, he wanted to collect something. But it would only last a short period of time."

As Brandon received business cards, he sorted them into stacks of 100. He would then put those 100 in alphabetical order based on the business name.

He would put some of his favorites in a leather three-ring binder.

In addition to collecting business cards, Brandon inspired others at Sunrise Hospital, said officials, who spoke of him as if he were the hospital's main guest. He was considered quite "bubbly."

"Brandon became a spokesperson and young advocate for blood and bone marrow transplants, and we will continue his mission to encourage those donations," Seymour said. "Brandon meant a lot to the hospital, and we will miss him greatly."

Brandon also was among the first patients to participate in a new classroom for hospitalized children at Sunrise. Through a partnership with the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation and the Tourino Foundation, Sunrise has added an education component to the oncology unit for children who must spend a lot of time at the hospital.

A memorial service for Brandon will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Canyon Ridge Christian Church, 6200 W. Lone Mountain Road, at Jones Boulevard.

Monetary donations can be made to The Brandon Rayner Benefit Fund through the Bank of America.

Donations also can be made to the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation and Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Southern Nevada.

Besides his parents and sister Brittany, Brandon is survived by brothers Chris, 24, A.J., 23, and Marcus, 21

Indian Child sets World Record with 24-hr Musical feat

Being able to play a musical instrument for 24 hours continuously may help 12-year-old boy Manu to enter the Guinness Book of World Records. Manu, who lives in Kozhikode district performed on Jaltarang at the Kozhikode Town Hall for 24 hours by breaking the earlier record of 16 hours of non-stop play by a boy Rama Krishna from Andhra Pradesh.

Jaltarang literally means 'waves in water'. But the instrument conveys the motion of sound created or modified by water. It is one of the most prominent and ancient among musical instruments. A student of Government Ganpat Boys High School, Chalappuram, Manu enthralled the audience with his performance, which started on Monday morning (24 March) at 8 and finished the next day on 25th March at 8 am.

The performance was inaugurated by renowned Gyanpeeth award winner, M T Vasudevan Nair of Kerala along with city Mayor M. Bashkaran, Manu's teacher and parents. Manu played the Jaltarang continuously for 24 hours with 2 breaks of 10 minutes each after every 8 hours. He played Hamsadhwani Raag on the Jaltarang and showed equal felicity in Carnatic, Hindustani and Western music streams during the event.

As many as 120 artists including children of his age group accompanied him on the violin, the tabla (Indian percussion instrument) and other musical instruments to make the show vibrant. Manu has been practicing Jaltarang for the past four years under the guidance of his mentor Kozhikode Radhakrishnan. He became interested in the instrument after he saw his teacher playing Jaltarang in his house, where he stayed back after his performance.

"I am really delighted at achieving this record. I practice daily from 8 am in the morning to 5:30 in the evening and I can do it for some more time. I really liked to play the rhythm of water symphony. I can even play the tabla with ease. It just happened that I saw my master practicing it one day, and decided to practice," said Manu while talking to media persons after his performance.

According to Manu, it was his grandfather who actually inspired him to attempt this feat after seeing his rigorous practice for a minimum five hours daily on the Jaltarang and tabla. The recorded video footage and other necessary documents will soon be sent to the Guinness Book of World Record authorities for approval.

World Largest Dinosaur Fossil Site Found in China

Scientists in China say they have discovered the world's largest dinosaur fossil site in the eastern province of Shandong, state media reported on Tuesday.

Scientists had recovered some 7,600 fossils from a 300 metre (980 ft) long pit near Zhucheng city over the past seven months, Xinhua news agency said.

The finds included remains of a 20-metre hadrosaurus, which could be a record size for the duck-billed dinosaur, Xinhua said.

Scientists had put down tools for the winter, but said further excavations could yield more fossils.

Zhucheng, known locally as China's "Dinosaur City," has produced dinosaur fossils in some 30 sites, according to local media.

China, a relative late-comer to archaeology, has ramped up exploration in recent years and makes regular finds of rare fossils, which are sometimes smuggled out of the country to be sold for large sums.

In January, Australia handed back hundreds of kilograms of Chinese dinosaur fossils to Beijing, including eggs dating back hundreds of millions of years, recovered from warehouses and cargo containers in sting operations, Australian media reported.

World Largest Santa Memorabilia Gift Collection Record

At 72, Jean-Guy Laquerre is too old to believe in Santa Claus, but not too old to delight in the magic of Christmas and appreciate the joy that Père Noël represents.

Each year for the past 25, the retired school teacher has assembled a holiday shrine to Santa in his basement.

His collection of Santa-related memorabilia grew and grew, and became so vast it has been enshrined in the 2009 Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest.

Laquerre has more than 20,000 Santa-related items - figurines, posters, plates, napkins, cards, cookie tins, candle holders, chocolate bars, Coke bottles, neckties - even guitar picks decorated with Santas.

There are antique Santas, snoring Santas, mechanical Santas, dancing Santas and surreal Santas.

All of them have the jovial, apple-cheeked, bearded and red-suited look of the classic North American Santa that is derived from drawings made in the mid-19th century by U.S. cartoonist Thomas Nast.

"I don't collect St. Nicholas, or Sinter Claes, or any of the European versions and variations," Laquerre said.

"I'm Santa's biggest fan. He's the world's most colourful character."

His obsession began in 1985 when his wife's aunt died and he found among her belongings an antique papier mâché Santa that's now about 100 years old.

"It reminded me of my childhood, growing up in Grand Mère, and I started collecting other pieces."

He picked up Santas at garage sales, on the Internet and as a member of the Cercle des Collectionneurs, through the South Shore collectors club. The Santas fill the rumpus room and an adjoining bedroom in his home. Shelves upon shelves are loaded with Santas.

The smallest Santa is a handpainted matchbox figurine from Mauritius. There is a Santa holding a globe that Laquerre, who taught geography, is especially fond of. His most precious Santa, however, is a handcrafted, three-dimensional shadow box depicting Santa in his workshop. It was a gift from fellow collector Sylvaine Bentamine, who lives in Morocco and whom he met on the Internet.

"When we first met online, I thought, 'Santa and Morocco, that doesn't compute.' But it turned out she is from France. ... She put together clippings and scrapbooks of Santa items for me."

Laquerre claims he has no idea how much he's spent on the collection, and says it would be too expensive to insure.

For the past 30 years, the world record for the biggest Santa Claus collection has been held by a woman in Texas.

"She only had 1,039," said Laquerre, whose collection numbered more than 13,000 when he applied to Guinness World Records to be listed four years ago.

Now that the collection has been acknowledged as the world's largest, Laquerre says he'll stop collecting.

Sort of.

"I have no more room," he said. "So now I'll only buy pieces if they are unique, if they interest me. Like all collectors, I can't throw anything out, but I can't resist adding to what I have if something catches my eye."

He has a twinkle in his eye and with his outgoing personality, Laquerre could easily pass for Santa himself - if he grew a beard. But he's never donned the outfit or ever even wanted to play Santa Claus, he said.

His wife, Lise, is patiently supportive of his hobbies.

"Jean-Guy is the collector. He collects stamps, wine labels and Santa Claus stuff," she says. "Me, I collect the bills."

Latest Christmas 2008 Guinness World Records

Italian Swimmer set World Longest Swimming Record

IT IS a trial of endurance that pits the lone swimmer against the forces of nature. Now, the discipline of marathon swimming has a new hero, after an Italian man swam for more than 100km (62 miles) in 24 hours.

Mauro Giaconia, 37, won a place in Guinness World Records for the longest swim in a lagoon after he covered 101km in a marathon endurance test in the vast sea-water swimming pool of a South American hotel.

The swimmer described yesterday how his tongue grew numb after hours of pushing through salt water. He expects to lose his sense of taste for up to two months – "but that usually happens with sea water," he said.

Mr Giaconia struggled to keep swimming on course in the pool, which is itself a record holder – it is the world's largest at 1,013m (3,324ft) long. It covers an area of 20 acres and reaches as deep as 35m.

Lifeguards switched on the lights at night, but he eventually opted to swim in the dark. "I kept going with a lot of enthusiasm to do the task," he said.

He describes himself on his website as a sportsman who "likes extreme and challenging sports, even if they mean hours of solitude". He was recently voted sportsman of the year in Palermo, Sicily.

He was only 14 years old when he began long-distance swimming in Palermo. After briefly "flirting" with kite surfing, boxing and cycling, he returned to his real passion of swimming and has spent the past eight years setting endurance records.

He has swum marathons over 12 and 24 hours in both swimming pools and the open sea, from the gulf of Palermo to the Strait of Gibraltar.

He warmed up for the record in San Alfonso del Mar, on the west coast of Chile, 80km from the capital, Santiago, by swimming three 24-hour races in Austria, Italy and the United States.

In 2005, a group of 20 Finnish swimmers broke a world record for 24-hour swimming that had stood for 23 years. In a relay, they logged 184,994 metres during a 24-hour period, breaking the former record of 182,807m by a group from New Zealand.

The team swimmers were not quite up to Mr Giaconia's feat of endurance. They swum on average 9,250m per swimmer, but there was no exact information on how much water each individual swimmer covered.


BACKGROUND

MARATHON swimming is an endurance sport defined by the International Swimming Federation to be a swim of least 10km in length, and swimmers cannot use wet suits.

While a 10km open water race was added to the Olympic medal stakes in the 2008 Beijing games, record-breaking swimmers pursue longer records in tougher conditions.

On 25 August, 1875, Captain Matthew Webb became the first person to swim the English Channel without the use of artificial aids. He swam from Dover to Calais in less than 22 hours, smeared in porpoise oil, covering a zig-zag course across the Channel measured at over 39 miles (64 km) long. Modern swimmers have cut the crossing distance to about 21 miles (32km).

In 1987 the American swimmer Lynne Cox famously swam across the Bering Strait between the US and the USSR, approximately 50 miles.

More Swimming Guinness World Records

World Longest Letter to Santa Clause

It's official, a group of Central Romanian school children have written the world's longest letter to Santa Claus.

A group of over 2,000 kids wrote the letter to Santa.

It measures an astounding 1,355 feet long, weighs 220 pounds, and took nine days to finish.

The kids did ask Santa for something other than video games or toys.

They want Saint Nick to get grown-ups to protect the environment, to stop pollution, and to save the planet's rainforests and oceans.

The Romanian post office paid for postage to deliver the letter to Santa's official residence in Finland.

It will then go back to Romania as part of a local world record exhibition, and will eventually be recycled into exercise books for the children.

More Christmas 2008 World Records

Worlds Tallest Santa Claus Sand Sculpture in India Record

Thousands of local people as well as tourists from both inside the country and outside had gathered on the beach to have a look at the colourful structure which is expected to figure in the coming edition of the Limca Book of Records.

Talking to Deccan Herald, Patnaik said it took him nearly 30 hours to create the 25 feet high sand Santa Claus. He was assisted by 15 of his students including seven girls from his Puri-based Golden Sand Art Institute. Six hundred tonnes of sand was used to create the structure.

The well known sand artist who had already won more than 35 international sand art championships including world titles said he had decided to dedicate his latest creation for world peace in this troubled time. “Peace is the only battle worth waging. We must give peace a chance”, he said.

Patnaik said, the sand Santa Claus created by him on the Puri beach was likely to be included in the Limca Book of Records as the record book authorities had given him their consent to create the sculpture. The Puri-based sand artist has already registered his name in the record book for creating the longest (100 feet) sand Santa Claus which was also created on the Puri beach during Christmas in 2006.

Meanwhile, security arrangments have been beefed up across the state in view of the Christmas celebrations on Thursday. Security has been tightened particularly in tribal dominated Kandhamal district in view of the recent Hindu-Chirstian communal riots in the district.

Security has been provided to major Churches across the state including those in Kandhamal and Bhubaneswar.

Union home minister P Chidambaram had two rounds of discussions with the chief minister Naveen Patnaik over telephone on Wednesday on secueity arrangements in the entire state particularly in Kandhamal.

Longest Wall Sit World Record set by Dr. Thienna

Dr. Thienna Ho, founder of Thienna, Inc., a skin care company that focuses on health, is no stranger to setting world records. She is the current Guinness World Records' holder for the most sumo squats in one hour. And, on Saturday, December 20, she completed yet another world record - the longest wall sit. Dr. Thienna's record-setting time was 11 hours, 51 minutes, and 14 seconds; the event took place at World Team USA Gymnasium in San Francisco.

The former Guinness World Records' holder for the longest wall sit was Rajkumar Chakraborty at 11 hours and five minutes; this record was set at Panposh Sports Hostel, Rourkela, India, on April 22, 1994.

Dr. Thienna was inspired to set this record in honor of her mother, who passed away from dermatomyosis, an autoimmune disease, after three years of struggle.

"My mother was confined to her bed for almost three years," Dr. Thienna says. "I remember her telling me that she would often dream of going outside to walk around. What better way to honor her memory than by dedicating a physical feat of this capacity to her?"

Dr. Thienna explains that while the wall sit was a great physical challenge, the process of not being able to move for almost 12 hours was even greater.

"I now have a better understanding of what my mother went through in the sense of being confined. I could not have been confined for three years like she was," Dr. Thienna says.

During the record-setting experience, approximately seven hours into the wall sit, a few blisters appeared on Dr. Thienna's feet. The skin on her back also started to burn from moving up and down on the wall.

All in all, she felt she was quite lucky and the pain was minimal.

"Maybe I'm resistant to lactic-acid buildup; I don't know," she says, "but, I do know that I had no knee, joint or back pain."

An hour away from breaking the record, Dr. Thienna explains that her body felt like it was falling asleep or even somewhat paralyzed from the waist down.

"My mother was my inspiration and I could feel her cheering me on the whole time," Dr. Thienna adds. "I am so glad I was able to set this record and appreciate all the support I received from friends and family."

She is currently awaiting official notification from Guinness World Records.



World's Largest Crayon Record set by Hinesville, Georgia Student

Hinesville, GA This week townsfolk and students in Hinesville, Georgia unveiled the world's largest crayon at the city’s Lyman Hall Elementary School.

Student spent the past six months collecting more than 100,000 crayons and in the end hundreds of these little tykes were rather amazed just how big their little experiment turned out. students like 5th grader Tanner Middleton.

The massive wax creation stands 9'8" inches tall and weighs 605.5 pounds.

Organizer Leah Poole came up with this project and knew she could best the previous record. Ms Poole reached out to the community and received donations from the area’s Solid Waste Department, nearby businesses and school kids.

She eventually melted down the crayons and poured them into a PVC pipe.

To make the crowing glory Poole’s super large crayon tip turns out to be a traffic cone.

Polle says creating this crayon wasn't just about achieving a world record. It was also about saving the earth.

Guinness Book of World Records judge Danny Girton traveled to coastal Georgia to confirm the new record.

And that's what organizers are most proud of.

The crayon will be on display at schools and businesses all over Liberty County and it will be in the Hinesville Christmas parade in December.

By the way the previous record, a seven foot 322 pound monstrosity, was held by a Florida - based crayon company.

Most people in a 24 hr relay World Record Set by Al Khor Community

Qatargas sponsored Walk for Life Club today entered the Guinness Book of World Records when over 2727 people participated in a running relay breaking the record for the most number of people running 100 meters carrying a baton in a 24 hour relay.

The event held at the Al Khor company community lasted over 24 hours and involved over 2727 running. This beats the previous record of 1848 people which was set in Singapore in March this year.

The event was organized by the ‘Walk for Life’ club of Al Khor community. The ‘Walk for Life’ is an initiative under the ‘Qatargas Pursuit of Safety Excellence Award’ program which supports programs aimed at the safety, health and well being of Qatargas employees and families. The club which now has over 500 members was formed over 18 months ago to promote walking and spread awareness of the great health benefits from regular walking.

The relay kicked off by with students from the Al Khor International School British and Indian stream students who were followed by adults and other family members who started running from 5:00 pm on the 27th. People from Qatargas, RasGas and Al Khor International School and all residents of
Al Khor community participated to achieve this world record.

Frederick Guirguis, Qatargas Head of Safety and Head of the organizing committee said, “We are very excited to have set a new world record as we believe it is the first for Qatar in this category. Our ultimate aim however is to promote exercise and a healthy life style among the residents of the community. We are grateful for all the support from Qatargas management in our activities. We would also especially like to thank the two schools in the Al Khor community for their tremendous support which has been instrumental in this endeavor.”

Following the event, a ‘Family Day’ celebration was held on 28th November for the participating runners with lots of fun and games and a raffle draw.

Fastest Text Messaging While Skydiving World Record Set by Samsung Mobile

Samsung Telecommunications America, (Samsung Mobile) a leading mobile phone distributor in the U.S., attempted to establish the Guinness World Record for "Fastest Text Messaging While Skydiving." A team of professional skydivers text messaged while freefalling from 12,000 feet outside the Los Angeles city limits at the Samsung Mobile XTREME TEXTING event. The team of 10 skydivers used a variety of Samsung Mobile messaging phones during this challenge, including the Samsung Propel™, Samsung Gravity™, Samsung Rant™, Samsung Alias™ and Samsung Messager™. Samsung Mobile created XTREME TEXTING as a unique way to promote its new lineup of text messaging phones.

The challenge was not easy. The high-flying daredevils had to accurately text message the phrase:

"The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human." The skydivers had only one minute to text message the phrase while freefalling before pulling their parachutes and gliding to the ground.

Once all 10 skydivers were safe on the ground and their phones were checked for accuracy, the video shot by two aerial videographers and two additional videographers on the ground was sent to Guinness World Records® in London for official judging.

"Fastest Text Messaging While Skydiving" will be a new entry into Guinness World Records database if successfully attempted. It will join the current record for "Fastest Text Message" currently held by Jeremy Sng Gim (Singapore), who typed the prescribed 160-character phrase on his mobile phone in 41.40 seconds on February 24, 2008.

About the Samsung Mobile phones used in this event:

Samsung Propel™ – Stylish, vertical slider phone with full QWERTY keyboard, multiple messaging options and video share. Available in four different vibrant colors.

Samsung Gravity™ – Colorful horizontal slider packed with full QWERTY keyboard, multiple Instant Messaging options and Web surfing access.

Samsung Rant™ – Smooth horizontal slider with full QWERTY keyboard, GPS navigation and MP3 player. Available in three different colors, including purple.

Samsung Alias™ – Unique dual-hinge messaging phone with full QWERTY keyboard, 1.3 megapixel camera and full portfolio of voice activation capabilities.

Samsung Messager™ – Sleek, horizontal slider phone with full QWERTY keyboard, full Bluetooth profile support and pre-loaded games including "Street Fighter II Champion Edition®.
About Samsung Telecommunications America

Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungwireless.com.

Fastest SMS While Skydiving Samsung World Record Video

Most People Dressed as Santa Claus and Giving out Gifts World Record

A total of 3,939 red and white clad people gathered in front of the parliament building in Bucharest.

Watched by a representative of Guinness World Records, they paraded through the city handing out gifts.

Romania hopes to break other records after Christmas, including the world's largest sausage and the longest cake.

"It's Christmas spirit, we're all better and more generous this time of year," the Bucharest Herald quoted Mayor Sorin Oprescu as saying.

Speaking as the volunteers donned their outfits, Guinness representative Lucia Sinigagliesi said the minimum requirement for the record to be judged was a "very challenging" 3,000.

"We never know what really is going to happen with mass participation records but it looks very good."

"There are a lot of people already, so we are hoping for the best," she said.

When the record was confirmed, Ms Sinigagliesi presented a certificate to the mayor, to delight of the massed Santas.

The event easily broke a previous record of 3,618 simultaneously gift-giving Santas, set in Taiwan, in 2003.

New Santa Claus Guinness World Records 2008 set in Romania Video


Fastest Loading of Cars onto Aircraft World Record set by TNT Express

A team of seven people managed to fit 30 smart fortwo cars into a TNT B747 in only 35 minutes and 34 seconds.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the smart car, the most compact car in the world, TopGear Italia, the Italian edition of the leading U.K. magazine and BBC, wondered how many could be fit in the belly of a Boeing B747, one of the world’s largest airplanes.

The 30 smart fortwo cars were provided by Mercedes-Benz Italia SpA and Mercedes-Benz Belgium Luxembourg SA. Christine Heine, head of ground operations at TNT Liège Hub, who coordinated the operation, said, "One of the critical aspects was to find a suitable time window to try to break the record, fitting with the arrivals and departures of all the other aircraft scheduled 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The take-off time for each TNT aircraft is really imperative, considering its impact on the synchronised network that delivers hundreds of thousands of express parcels anytime, anywhere.”

The seven staff had only three hours to load the smart cars into the Boeing 747, unload them and re-load the plane with goods leaving for Shanghai. An incredible result, celebrating both the professionalism of TNT employees with their ‘sure we can’ mission and the smart fortwo, a unique car that has already obtained many records in its 10-year life.

Notes to the editor:

The event took place at TNT’s European air hub in Liège. A total of 1,300 people are employed at the hub, 130 trucks and 47 aircrafts arrive from and depart to destinations all over the world, including its two Boeing 747s, the flagship of TNT Express.

Biggest Floating Christmas Tree in the world 2008 Record

For the thirteenth year in a row Brazil's Bradesco Bank is bringing to Rio, in southeastern Brazil, its giant Christmas tree, the biggest floating Christmas tree in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records. Thousands of people gathered this Saturday, November 29, to watch the lightning of the year-end Holiday treat.

The annual ceremony is considered the third greatest event in the city of Rio de Janeiro, after Carnaval and New Year's Eve. This year the spectacle of lights and colors included a musical show called "A melody of peace for the Brazilian family."



An electronic carillon, imported from Italy and similar to the one used in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, has been installed within its structure to reproduce Christmas carols with bells played manually by professional bell-ringers. There are also fireworks scheduled for every Saturday until the end of the year.

The programming of the inaugural event, with a live television broadcast in real time by the Tree's hot site included a concert given by popular Brazilian artists such as singers Elba Ramalho, João Bosco, Roberta Sá and guitarist Turíbio Santos, as well as the Choir of the Bradesco Foundation, made up of 112 young students.

The American soprano Carol McDavit, who has been settled in Brazil for the past 20 years, also made an appearance.

At the top of the 85-meter (279-feet) tree, the star is now accompanied by two angels representing peace. The 52 kilometers (32 miles) of lighted strands are to evoke the Christmas theme, and 1,600 flashing lights are to evoke twinkling stars.

The second certification in the Guinness Book of Records, as the "largest floating Christmas tree in the world," was obtained because of the height of 85 meters in 2007 and recorded in the recently published 2009 edition.

At its launching in 1996, the tree was 48 meters (157 feet) high and up until the 2006 edition, 82 meters (269 feet). The first certification in the Guinness book was awarded in 1999, when this symbol of Christmas measured 76 meters (249 feet).

For the past three years, the Bradesco Christmas Tree has had generators fueled by biodiesel to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere. For the third year, to ensure rationality in the consumption of fuel, the generators will be controlled by a computerized system.

Emissions of carbon gas into the atmosphere produced by the assembly, display and dismantling of the tree, the organizers say, will be neutralized by the planting of trees in regions of the Mata Atlântica rainforest, on the Brazilian coast.

Best Guinness World Record Moments of 2008




Hollywood, Height And Heavy Metal Headline As 'Brangelina', The World's Tallest Man and Guitar Hero Top List of Record Breakers From Britney Spears' unparalleled comeback to Brangelina's Hollywood ascension, 2008 has been a year marked by record-breaking achievements from around the globe. Grabbing headlines throughout the year, Guinness World Records has chronicled hundreds of amazing feats from all across the globe, perhaps none as captivating as the improbable meeting between Svetlana Pankratova, Longest Legs, and the World's Smallest Man - He PingPing.

"Guinness World Records has spent over 50 years chronicling remarkable record-breaking feats and 2008 was one of the best years yet," said Craig Glenday, Editor-In-Chief, Guinness World Records. "With well over 1,000 claims a week, we were thrilled to validate some of the most jaw-dropping, triumphant and mind-boggling records from around the world."
After sifting through its voluminous files, Guinness World Records highlights the following record moments as the best of the year.

He PingPing and Svetlana Meet - Opposites attract, especially when it comes to the media as He PingPing, the World's Smallest Man, met Svetlana Pankratova, the World's Longest Legs, in London on September 16, 2008. Standing at an astounding 6' 5" tall, the Russian beauty's legs measure 51.9 inches long where as the tiny 20-year old from Inner Mongolia, China, measures only 21.9 inches total!

Powerful Actor and Actress in Hollywood - Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie nabbed Tinseltown's top spot this year when they were crowned the Most Powerful Actors in Hollywood. Jolie jointly held the title with her hubby's ex Jennifer Aniston in 2007, while Pitt ended Tom Cruise's four-year reign as the Most Powerful Actor.

High Score on a Single Song for Guitar Hero III - Video game prodigy Chris Chike scored a staggering 899,703 points on the song "Through the Fire and Flames" on August 29,2008. Chris set the Guinness World Record on Guitar Hero's toughest track besting the previous record
holder Danny Johnson's score of 890,971 points on the same song.

Tallest Man - China's Bao Xi Shun (7 feet 8.95 inches) recaptured the record as the world's Tallest Living Man from Ukrainian Leonid Stadnyk (8 feet 5.5 inch). In order to ensure the highest level of accuracy in this category, guidelines for the title were amended earlier
this year. After repeated requests to measure Stadnyk in person went unanswered, Guinness World Records returned the title to Xi Shun in compliance with its new regulations.

Gathering of People Wearing Underpants - 116 bold and nearly-naked people gathered in their underpants at St. Pancras station on November 13, 2008. The members of Pants to Poverty not only received the Guinness World Record but brought global attention to their ethical fashion cause.

Highest Revenue Generated by an Entertainment Product in 24 Hours - In May 2008, Grand Theft Auto IV became the most profitable entertainment release of all-time when it crushed the competition by selling 3.6 million units and earning $310 million in its first day of release. The
record-breaking sales far surpassed any video game, film and book release including Harry Potter.

Largest Group Shower - Eco pioneers Ludacris and Tommy Lee along with hundreds of people took part in the world's Largest Shower at the Planet Hollywood Hotel in Las Vegas for the show Battleground Earth, which explores ways to help the environment.

Fastest Bed - Racing full-throttle through the streets of London, Britain's Edd China set the record for the Fastest Bed on November 13, 2008. At a whopping 69 mph, China raced his way to another Guinness World Record.

Largest Rubber Band Ball - Florida resident Joel Waul unveiled the world's Largest Rubber Band Ball at 9,032 pounds. Measuring 6 feet, 7 inches tall and with a diameter of 25 feet, this popular record easily surpassed the previous mark by more than 4,000 pounds.

Fastest Circumnavigation Cycled Around the World - In February 2008, modern day Magellan Mark Beaumont of Scotland completed the fastest cycling circumnavigation around the world in 194 days and 17 hours. Beaumont pedaled a distance of 29,445.81 km (18,296.74 miles) and
traveled over 40,100 km in total (including transfers) with stops in France, Pakistan, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

World's Largest Zoetrope Record - Sony BRAVIA-drome

Sony unveiled the motion making star of its latest marketing campaign in front of the world's media at a dramatic night-time shoot in Venaria, Italy this month. A modern take on a 19th century classic, the BRAVIA-drome was today confirmed as the 'World's Largest Zoetrope' by a Guinness World Records adjudicator.

The construction's final measurements were officially recorded as a circumference of 31.41 metres, equivalent to a diameter of exactly 9.998 metres. At nearly two and a half metres in height, the adjudicator required the assistance of several helpers and a step ladder during a tense fifteen minutes of measuring.

FIFA World Player of the Year and AC Milan soccer legend Kaka was also present at the unveiling as still images of him performing his signature moves had been placed inside the BRAVIA-drome for its first ever public performance.

"I didn't expect it to be quite so big, even though I had seen the dimensions on paper," said Raymond Marshall, the adjudicator from Guinness World Records. "When it started to spin, I could only watch in amazement. I never believed it would actually work due to its sheer size. It is definitely a new Guinness World Records(TM) record."

But not content with setting just one brand new world record, Sony also invited renowned football freestyler Dan Magness to the unveiling to entertain the crowds with a further three Guinness World Records(TM) record attempts. Dan warmed up with an awesome display of flicks and tricks, as the crowd cheered him on, before going on to smash all three records.

He performed 188 'Football Rolls Across The Forehead,' a record which had previously stood at 56, and spent three minutes and ten seconds 'Controlling A Football On The Back' (breaking his own previous best of two and a half minutes). He also set a brand new record for 'Most Consecutive Football Touches With The Shoulders,' bouncing the ball 251 times without breaking a sweat.

"I felt like I could just keep going and going," said Magness, "the crowd were great and I wanted to put on a show for them that they'd remember for a long time. The BRAVIA-drome was a hard act to follow, but I really went all out and I am just glad Sony gave me the chance to be part of the whole event."

The BRAVIA-drome was designed to demonstrate the technology behind Sony's Motionflow 200Hz functionality, which eliminates all jerkiness and smoothes the images on screen as they happen. The football theme was chosen as watching a match is one of the best ways to fully appreciate Motionflow, allowing viewers to watch the flight of the ball as it crashes into the back of the net.

"We wanted this to be more than a television ad shoot," said Giles Morrison, General Manager, Marketing Communications Europe for Sony. "This was about creating a spectacle that people would never forget. The four world record attempts really helped add to the whole experience. At Sony, we always aim to be the best at whatever we do."

BRAVIA-drome: Vital Statistics
--  The optimum speed of the BRAVIA-drome is 44kph

-- The BRAVIA-drome can reach speeds of over 50kph

-- The BRAVIA-drome measures 10m in diameter

-- It takes ten men three days to fully assemble the BRAVIA-drome

-- The BRAVIA-drome is transported by two 40ft trucks

-- It took six weeks for the BRAVIA-drome to be built in full for the
first time

-- Weighing in at ten tonnes, it is the biggest zoetrope ever built

World's Fastest Production Car Record 2009 set by Shelby SuperCars

The 2009 Ultimate Aero boasts 1,287 horsepower and a top speed of 270 mph. Last year's supercar set the Guinness world record for fastest production car by reaching a top speed of 256.19 mph when the car made 1,183 horsepower. The power increase is largely made possible by a one-piece billet aluminum engine block that is stronger and allows for better lubrication. The midengine twin-turbo V8 is good for 1,112 pound-feet of torque. Outside, there's a new front fascia to enhance aerodynamics and carbon-fiber louvers on the side to increase the amount of air directed over the radiators. The company has also added an AeroBrake, a spoiler that raises by 8 inches during braking to assist in slowing the vehicle. The interior has been thoroughly revamped with carbon fiber on the dash, doorsills and steering column and a PC-based infotainment unit.

Shelby SuperCars set the speed record for a production car on September 13, 2007, with 71-year-old Chuck Bigelow piloting the Ultimate Aero. That run broke the record previously held by the Koenigsegg CCR by 15.09 mph. It was also the first time an American automaker had claimed the title since Ford held it with the GT40 in 1967. SSC hasn't yet said if the company will make another attempt to break its own record with the 2009 Ultimate Aero.

World Longest Horse Tail - 12ft 6in Long Record

If she were a racehorse, she could have her nose in front and still be a tail-ender.

And with a tail measuring a staggering 12ft 6in long, Summer Breeze has gone down in history as the horse with the longest in the world.

The mare, who lives in Kansas in the U.S., has been officially recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records and owner Crystal Socha certainly has a job keeping her animal groomed to perfection.

Crystal, 26, combs out and shampoos the horse's tail once every two months and the operation takes her around three hours.

Each hair strand has the consistency of the fishing line.

'She's our little queen. She knows it, too,' said Ms Socha who owns the horse together with her brother, Casey, at Hoof Print Farm in Augusta, Kansas.

'I don't think I've ever gotten every knot out of that tail,' she continued.

'It takes a lot longer in the summer when she's flicking at flies.

'When it's out and it's flowing, then I know why it's worth it.'

According to her owner, Summer, who is 11-years-old, was born with a normal sized tail.

But as she aged, her tail just kept on growing. When she is outside the arena, her owners sometimes have to bunch her tail up and fasten it up.

She also has an impressive mane, which has had to be groomed to stop her chewing it off when she eats her food.

She is renowned at the the annual EquiFest event held at the Kansas Coliseum in Wichita where she gets into the arena to show off her champion tail.




World's Longest Bridge Fountain Banpo Bridge set Guinness World Record

The fountain installed at Banpo Bridge in Seoul has been recognized as the world's longest bridge fountain in the Guinness Book of Records.

The Guinness World Records certified the 1,140-meter-long fountain as the longest bridge fountain in the world last month, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Sunday.

The fountain runs 570 meters on each side of Banpo Bridge. A total of 380 nozzles spout 190 tons of water per minute some 20 meters out from the bridge and into the Han River, using the water from the river below.

``As the fountain is listed as a record, the city can use the Guinness logo or other Guinness-related signs to promote it. We expect the world-recognized bridge to become a hot tourist spot,'' a city official said.

The fountain will start full operation next spring.

The city also decided to name the fountain ``Rainbow Fountain'' after collecting public and expert opinions from September.

``We decided on the name because a rainbow has a bright and hopeful image both in Eastern and Western countries and the colorful lighting on the bridge gives the impression of a rainbow,'' the official said.

About 200 lights illuminate the bridge in a kaleidoscope of colors.

Banpo Bridge Fountain Live Video Online

Largest Gathering of Santas set World Record

More than 14,000 people dressed as Santa Clauses paraded in Portugal's city of Porto on Sunday to try to set a new world record for the largest gathering of Santas and raise money for charity.

Despite cold weather and drizzling rain, the crowd in red-and-white hats and jackets, including scores of women and children with fake white beards, strolled through the city streets singing songs and dancing in the annual parade that started in the afternoon and continued after dark.

"It's not just a gathering of people at the time of the year when people normally get together, but it is also a social event to bring the warmth of Christmas to those who don't always have it," Vitor Ferreira, one of the organisers of the event, told Reuters.

Every Santa, or Pai Natal (Father Christmas) as he is known in Portugal, who took part in the parade donated 1 euro to buy presents for the needy children in Porto, Portugal's second-largest city, Ferreira said.

He said 17,400 people had signed up to take part, although bad weather prevented some from parading. Still, over 14,200 showed up in the end, which organisers claimed to be record, according to RTP national television channel.

According to the Guinness World Records web site (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com), the previous world record for the largest gathering of Santas was set last year in Derry City, Northern Ireland, where a total of 12,965 people took part dressed up as Santa or Santa's helpers. (Reporting by MiguelPereira, writing by Andrei Khalip, editing by Myra MacDonald)

Largest Poker Tournament set Guinness World Record

On Sunday December 28th 2008, PokerStars will be attempting to set a world record for the largest ever online poker tournament field. The special tournament will be capped at 35,000 players and if the cap is reached it will set an official Guinness Book of World Records mark.

Players are expected to flock to PokerStars for a number of reasons. The buy-in is only $10+1 which puts it within most player's budgets as they look for their place in history as part of a world record. In addition the tournament is offering a $500,000 guarantee, so if you do the math you’ll soon realise that there will be a nice overlay for all players who participate.

With a massive 3,500 tables in action, the blinds will move pretty quickly, with 10 minute levels providing more of a Turbo tournament feel. Players will need to win plenty of races to make it through this one!

The tournament can be found under the “Tournaments -> Special” tab of the PokerStars software with the tournament set to kick off in the middle of holiday festivities at 3:30pm ET on Sunday December 28th 2008.

Verification of the official record usually takes about six weeks and is conducted out of Guinness’ offices in London. Last year PokerStars held a similar tournament attracting 20,000 players which was claimed as the largest tournament ever held at the time. PokerStars player Lynna1 captured 1st place and the $20,000 prize. For only a $11 entry, this new record setting attempt will smash that previous figure and set the record…officially!

At the time of writing nearly 2,000 players had already registered, so make sure you download the pokerstar software today and register early to avoid missing out! PokerStars are also currently running satellites to the 2009 Aussie Million and PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, so now is a great time to join PokerStars and be part of the action!

$5m Fantasy Bra unveils by Victoria Secret

The bra, which also boasts white diamonds and rubies, weighs 1,500 carats and is believed to be one of the most valuable items of underwear ever made. Two tear-shaped black diamonds, with a combined weight of 100 carats, hang down from the middle.

The one-off bra - which contains 3,900 gems in total - is modelled by Brazilian Adriana Lima in the Victoria's Secret Christmas catalogue. It was created by Martin Katz, the rare gem jeweller who has worked on previous luxury lingerie for the firm.

"This year, I've really enjoyed working with non-traditional gems," he said. "So, what better avenue, to showcase nearly 3,600 black diamonds than on the most extravagant holiday gift."
He added: "Designing it for a gorgeous Brazilian supermodel wasn't exactly a let-down either."
Lima, who will also wear the bra in a televised fashion show on Dec 3, described it as "exquisite". "It really is an honor to be wearing a Victoria's Secret fantasy bra," she said.

Despite the price tag, the bra is not the most expensive ever made. In 2005 supermodel Gisele Bundchen donned a $12.5 million bra, also made by Victoria's Secret.

$5m Fantasy Bra unveils by Victoria Secret online video

24.9 Pounds World's Biggest Sweet Potato

Lebanese farmer Khalil Semhat holds a giant potato in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre on December 6, 2008. The farmer couldn't believe his peeled eyes when he discovered he had grown a massive potato weighing 11.3 kilos (24.9 pounds), he said, adding that he now hopes to enter the Guinness World Records book.

On Tuesday, the BBC decried the end of the 10-year reign of the eight-pound Manx Potato as the world's heaviest. Its record had apparently been uprooted by a 25-pound spud from Lebanon. In photos, circulated across the Internet, farmer Khalil Semhat hoists his misshapen tuber up like a proud father.

"I didn't use any chemicals at all," Semhat proclaimed to Agence France-Presse. "I've been working the land since I was a boy, and it's the first time I've seen anything like it."

The Manx's owner, Nigel Kermode of the Isle of Man, reluctantly conceded the crown: "We're still a world champion – we'll call it the second biggest potato in the world." His decade-old tater was reportedly "grey and brown" and hadn't been on display for quite a while.

But experts contacted by Scientific American say that Kermode has nothing to concede. This is all a case of mistaken identity. Michigan State University potato expert David Douches says the vegetable in Semhat's hands looks an awful lot like a sweet potato – a crop more closely related to morning glory flowers than to hash browns.

To settle the matter, we decided to talk to Kenneth Pecota, a plant breeder who has spent 15 years working on roots as part of North Carolina State University's (NCSU) Potato and Sweetpotato Breeding and Genetics Program.

Peruvian Chefs set World's Largest Ceviche Record

Peruvian chefs, elbow deep in more than six tons of sliced fish, onions and lime, won on Sunday the Guinness World Record for preparing the largest ceviche, a Peruvian seafood specialty.
The classic dish, made from raw fish and a spicy citrus sauce that "cooks" it, weighed in at 6.8 tons, 2 tons more than the previous record.

Some 450 students and chefs worked in an open-air sports stadium in Callao, a working-class district near Peru's capital -- slicing, dicing and mixing white fish with lime, salt, onions and aji peppers.

A Guinness representative was on hand to make the count official. "Today, we have brought together all the people of Callao so that in the name of Peru, we can take back the Guinness record," said Callao's regional president Alexander Kouri, who stood in front of 14 giant metal containers filled with fish.

The previous record for the world's largest ceviche, weighing in at 4.5 tons, was set in Mexico in 2005. Prior to that, Peru held it at 4.1 tons.

To weigh the ceviche, students scooped it into smaller boxes that they put on top of a movable scale. It took some two dozen hands to lift each container.

Ronald Espinoza, 25, was one of the students on hand to prepare the ceviche. He said the dish, which has been a constant in Peru since the time of the Incas, gives people a reason to get together and celebrate.

Hundreds of people from the neighborhood waited outside the Callao stadium for a plate of food.
"A Peruvian who does not eat ceviche is not Peruvian," said Espinoza.

602 Taps in 60 Seconds Guinness World Record

Tony Adams has just had confirmation that he smashed the Guinness World Record of 512 tap beats a minute, previously held in England, with a staggering 602 beats.

Crippled at birth, Mr Adams was sent to tap lessons by his mother in the hope it would straighten his calliper-bound legs without invasive surgery. "She lost her mother to a medical misadventure when she was 13, and lost my brother to an operation on a brain tumour, so she wasn't having a bar of me having an operation," he said.

He compared himself to Forrest Gump as a toddler, with crooked, underdeveloped legs, but the discipline and exercise of tap dancing were just the cure.

Mr Adams attended Naenae College, where he was teased by classmates for dancing, but he went on to win many national dance titles and become New Zealand's first male tap-dancing teacher in his late teens.

From the age of 15 he knew he had the skill to break world records, but it was not till early this year that someone challenged him to prove it. He attempted and broke the record live on New Zealand national television.

His speed tap-dancing record equates to an average of 10 tap beats per second, but he reached 15 per second at his fastest.

"It's pretty challenging to sustain that pace for 60 seconds, and a minute has never felt longer," he said. His mother, Mary Adams, 82, watched her son break the record. "I'm very proud of him but I really can't understand what all the fuss is about. He was a much better dancer when he was younger," she said.

His 602 taps were recorded with a microphone and specialised computer software, which converted each individual tap from audio to digital so they could be more easily counted. The technology enables sound waves to be displayed graphically like heartbeats on a heart-rate monitor.

Tap-dancing teacher Jeanette Mullins acted as an official witness at the attempt. She was astonished to see Mr Adams don the patent leather tap shoes he last performed in 32 years ago, describing them as antiques.

Mural painted by Lilly employees sets record

Eli Lilly and Co.'s efforts last May to paint a mural eight football fields long on Madison Avenue between Raymond Street and Terrace Avenue have made it into the Guinness World Records. Employees of the Indianapolis drugmaker donated their time to the 1,230-foot-long project, which now is considered the world's largest paint-by-number mural.

Lilly and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful submitted the Southside mural for consideration by Guinness.

The record was held previously in China. Patrick Viles, a former Manual High School who studied at the Art Institute of Indianapolis, designed the mural to showcase fun, hard work, and healthy living in Indiana, according to a news release today.Well-known Indianapolis landmarks are featured, including the Indianapolis Zoo, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and the city’s Southside.

The mural was among 60 beautification projects completed in partnership with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and more than 50 local community organizations during Lilly's inaugural Global Day of Service in May.

Longest Wall Sit World Record set by Dr. Thienna

Dr. Thienna Ho, founder of Thienna, Inc., a skin care company that focuses on health, is also the current Guinness World Records' holder for the most sumo squats in one hour. On Saturday, December 20 at 10:00 a.m. PST, she will attempt to break yet another world record for the longest wall sit. The event will take place at World Team USA Gymnasium at: 2575 Ocean Avenue in San Francisco.

The current Guinness World Records' holder for the longest wall sit is Rajkumar Chakraborty at 11 hours and five minutes; this record was set at Panposh Sports Hostel, Rourkela, India, on April 22, 1994.

"At the age of 41, I must prove to myself that I can do this," Dr. Thienna says. "As a scientific nutritionist, I eat well and live well and these wellness ideals have given me health, strength, and stamina; I am confident that I can break this record."

She adds that she is also attempting this record to honor her mother who passed away in 2006 from an autoimmune disease.

Dr. Thienna has set a personal goal of 12 hours. During this time, she will sit on an "invisible chair" - her thighs parallel to the floor and her back to the wall.

Dr. Thienna explains that no supportive use of hands on thighs is allowed. She expects to engage in some odd behavior during this time that will include pulling on her hair, pounding on her thighs, jiggling her legs, and massaging her neck. These are all behaviors to keep her sane during this record-breaking attempt.

"It will be difficult and even somewhat tortuous," Dr. Thienna says, "but, I hope to feel a real sense of pride and accomplishment when it's all over."

The event is open to the public. Dr. Thienna is also accepting $1 pledges and donating 100 percent of the proceeds, for each minute she exceeds the current record, to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association: http://www.aarda.org/.

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