The world's most interesting records

Record Setters

Earlier this week, the world's shortest man, He Pingping, age 21, died after developing chest pains while filming a television show in Italy. Pingping suffered from primordial dwarfism, a condition which kept him from ever growing taller than 73 cm (2 feet 5 inches) tall. Pingping was recognized by the Guinness World Records organization, who also held a "World Records Day" last November, encouraging people all over the world to set their own records. Collected here are a group of superlatives, recent photos of world records and record attempts around the world.

He Pingping of China smiles as Sultan Kosen of Turkey rests his hands on He's shoulders during a promotional event in Istanbul, Turkey on January 14, 2010. He, with a height of 73 cm (2 feet 5 inch), and Kosen, with a height of 246.5 cm (8 feet 1 inch), have been listed in the Guinness World Records as the world's shortest man and tallest man respectively. (REUTERS/Osman Orsal)

He Pingping, 73 cm tall (2 feet 5 inch), of China looks up at Sultan Kosen, 246.5 cm tall (8 feet 1 inch), of Turkey in Istanbul on January 14, 2010. (REUTERS/Osman Orsal)

Joel Waul, 27, stands on top of his rubber band ball on the driveway of his home in Lauderhill, Fla., Friday, Oct. 23, 2009. Waul, a 27-year-old who works nights restocking a Gap clothing store, has spent the last six years carefully wrapping and linking and stretching rubber bands of various sizes into the ball shape. The Guinness Book of World Records declared it the world's largest rubber band ball in 2008. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

In this photo taken Aug. 21, 2009, Diana Taylor walks with her Great Dane, Titan, along Ocean Beach in San Diego. During a ceremony Thursday Nov. 12, 2009, the Guinness Book of World Records officially proclaimed that 4-year-old Titan from San Diego is the world's tallest dog. Owner Diana Taylor says Titan is blind, deaf, epileptic and undergoes acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments every three weeks. Taylor says Titan stands 42.25 inches from floor to shoulder, weighs 190 pounds. (AP Photo/Union Tribune, Peggy Peattie)

Bakers link pieces of gingerbread in order to break a world record on December 18, 2009 in Ludwigsburg, southern Germany. A total of 1,700 kg of honey, 1,700 kg of flour, 1,000 kg of walnuts, 900 kg of hazelnuts, 550 liters of milk and 158 liters of cherry schnapps were used to make the one kilometer-long and seven-ton-heavy gingerbread. (SASCHA SCHUERMANN/AFP/Getty Images)

A base jumper leaps backwards off the Menara Kuala Lumpur Tower, Malaysia, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009. A group of base jumpers were attempting to set a Guinness World Record striving to have 24 people base jump every hour for 24 hours from the the 915 feet high communication tower. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Physical challenged people participate in purportedly the world's largest finger painting, a 100 feet by 140 feet canvas, to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities in Ahmadabad, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009. More than 200 physically challenged people participated in the event for a bid to enter the Guinness Book of World Records. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Street performer Chayne Hultgren (a.k.a. 'The Space Cowboy'), re-enacts his 18-sword swallowing attempt for a Guinness World Record in front of the Sydney Opera House on February 8, 2010. The Australian beat his own world record when he simultaneously swallowed 18 swords, each blade measuring 50.8cm by 1.3cm, in the lead-up to International Sword Swallowing Day on February 28. (TORSTEN BLACKWOOD/AFP/Getty Images)

Lisa Courtney's lies amongst her collection - the Biggest Pokemon Memorabilia Collection in the world with 12,113 items, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. (Guinness World Records, Paul Michael Hughes)

Children scoop marshmallows out of a mug holding nearly 500 gallons of hot chocolate, Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009 at Bryant Park in New York, during the American Dairy Association's attempt to set a new world record for the largest mug of hot chocolate. (AP Photo/American Dairy Association, Diane Bondareff)

Indian born British strongman Manjit Singh, 59, pulls a double decker bus using ropes attached to his hair in London, England on November 12, 2009. Singh broke the world record Thursday by pulling the bus a total of 21.2 metres. (CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images)

Filipino chefs and students stand beside dishes as they attempt to break a Guinness World Record for "The Most Number of Dishes On Display, In A Single Day" in suburban Quezon city, north of Manila, Philippines on Monday Dec. 14, 2009. The organizers hope to be considered for the record as they make more than 5,000 cheese-inspired dishes to beat the previous record of 4,668 set by India in 2007. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Chinese 104-year-old twins, Cao Daqiao (senior, right) and Cao Xiaoqiao talk at home in Weifang, east China's Shandong province on November 29, 2009. According to the Shanghai Guinness World Records, these twin sisters, who were born in 1905, are the oldest living twins in the world as they are also listed on the Guiness World of Records for the oldest twins. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Bryan Berg of the U.S. poses at his creation of the replica of The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel, as he breaks his own Guinness World Record for the largest house of Freestanding playing cards on Wednesday, March 10, 2010. Berg used 218,792 playing cards to build a replica of The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel during the 44 day project. The final composition is 35 feet long, 10 feet tall and weighs 272kg. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

An Israeli school boy plays in a large Jerusalem flag as it is unfurled at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009. The flag was stamped by the Guinness World Records as the world's largest flag on April 11, 2009 and measures 44,404 square meters. (AP Photo/Tara Todras-Whitehill)

Sultan Kosen, the world's tallest man, unveils the world's largest gingerbread man at an Ikea store in Oslo, Thursday, Nov. 12 2009. The Swedish furniture chain's Oslo outlet says 8-foot-1-inch tall Sultan Koesen of Turkey presented the cookie that weighs 1,435 pounds (651 kilograms). It was baked in the traditional gingerbread man shape by a local bakery and beat the previous 2006 world cookie record of 1,307 pounds (593 kilograms) set in Smithville, Texas. (AP Photo/Morten Holm/Scanpix)

Life Time Fitness broke the Guinness World Record for the largest cycling class with 1,052 cyclists. The class was held at Target Center arena in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Peter Wong)

Lebanese chefs prepare a giant tabbouleh to set a new world record in Beirut on October 25, 2009. Under the watch of a Guinness adjudicator, 250 sous-chefs and their 50 bosses from the state-run culinary school chopped and sliced over three and a half tons (7,000 lbs) of the salad, using 1,600 kg (3,520 lbs) of parsley, 1,500 kg (3,300 lbs) of ripe tomatoes and 420 kg (926 lbs) of onions. (RAMZI HAIDAR/AFP/Getty Images)

Lebanese celebrate entering the Guinness Book of Records in Beirut October 24, 2009 after producing what they believe to be the biggest plate of hummus in the world. The dish, weighing 2,056 kg, was filled with 1,350 kg of the chickpea-based dish. The organisers claimed world records for both the size of the dish and the quantity of hummus produced. (REUTERS/Jamal Saidi)

Palestinians stand near a large embroidered dress as it is presented to the media at a stadium in the West Bank city of Hebron October 25, 2009. The dress, which took several months to sew, is expected to be officially measured next month in an attempt to be entered as a Guinness World Record. (REUTERS/Nayef Hashlamoun)

The Burj Dubai tower is pictured during the opening ceremony of the Burj Dubai tower on January 4, 2010 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.The Burj Dubai, which in Arabic means Dubai Tower, is at 824.55 meters the world's tallest man-made structure. (Martin Rose/Getty Images)

Around 15,000 people participate in a tug-of-war during an annual event in Naha, in Japan's southern island of Okinawa, on October 11, 2009. The rope used in the event - 200 meters long, 156 cms in diameter, weighing 43 tons and made from harvested straw - was recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest rope. (JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty Images)

The world's tallest horse, Luscombe Nodram, or 'Noddy', stands with his owner Jane Greenman before they depart on major tour which will include appearances at the Sydney Royal Easter Show and Brisbane, in Melbourne on March 19, 2010. The Shire horse is seven-years-old, stands at 20.2 hands high (2.05 meters) and at 1.5 tons weighs three times more than the average thoroughbred racehorse. The Shire horse is now endangered with approximately 2,000 left in the world with very few of them being gray. (AFP PHOTO/William WEST)

Albanian artist Saimir Strati, 43, creates a mosaic of the late pop legend Michael Jackson in Durres, near Tirana, Albania on October 31, 2009. Strati is using 250,000 paintbrushes and 28 days to complete the 10 meter-wide by 2.6 meter-tall mosaic on the side of a truck traveling the streets of Albania. This is Strati's fourth attempt to enter the Guinness World Record. (REUTERS/Arben Celi)

Thousands of Mexicans take part in the "I do dance Thriller" event which attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the biggest mass "Thriller" dance, in Mexico City, on August 29, 2009. Up to 15,000 people were expected to take part in the mass performance of Michael Jackson's famed "Thriller" dance on the day he would have turned 51. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images)

Norman Surplus from Larne, Northern Ireland, waves to the media from his autogyro at Duxford, England, Thursday, March, 11, 2010. Surplus is to attempt a circumnavigation of the globe in the autogyro, starting from Larne on March 18, depending on the weather. With its open cockpit it will be flying through 26 countries, 27,000 miles including 4,300 miles over water, in an expedition that will raise awareness and money for bowel cancer. The specially adapted machine will have collapsible fuel tanks that will give it a range of some 900 miles. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Chefs serve what they claim to be the world's largest cheesecake in Mexico City, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009. The chefs hope to win a Guinness World Record. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Egyptian Mohammed Ali Zinhom, 25, attempts a new Guinness World Record for doing push ups on the 2 fingers of his right hand only, in front of the historical site of the Giza Pyramids, Egypt, Monday, March 8, 2010. Zinhom recorded 46 push ups in 49 seconds. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Chef Matthew Mitnitsky cheers after his meatball weighed in, breaking the world record for the largest meatball, in Concord, N.H., Sunday, Nov. 1,2009. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)

About 1,800 people dressed in Santa costumes prepare to run down the main street in central Sydney November 29, 2009. Organizers of the Variety Club Santa Fun Run, in support of a children's charity, aim to build on Sunday's event and challenge the world record for people running dressed as Santa. (REUTERS/Tim Wimborne)

Indonesians take part in an attempt to break a world record for the most sky lanterns flown simultaneously in Jakarta, Indonesia, late Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009. At least 10,000 lanterns were released into the sky to break the world record, organizer said. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Southeast Asia Comes To Delhi With Moonshine Village Theater

New Delhi, Mar 21 : As an artiste glided swaying on a spacious thatched-roof stage with her light nimble footsteps akin to the pleasant evening breeze of mid-March under the starry sky with a crescent moon in the horizon, it almost felt being in a Southeast Asian village here in the heart of New Delhi.

As a four-day programme of cultural exchange between India and Southeast Asia came to an end on Saturday, one is impressed by how genetically related the cultures of Southeast Asia and India, in particular its northeast region, are with each other, as showcased by this village out-of-door theater here, reports China's Xinhua news agency.

Dressed in traditional Balinese fineries of sarong, long scarves hanging from her waists and a typical elongated crown on head, the artiste was enacting lady Bumblebee.

With the soft sweeping movements of her hands and body, tremble of her fingers and flutter of lashes and changing facial moods accompanying the music of drum and xylophone, she was waiting to be joined by her lover.

The courtship dance, known as Oleg, began in full rhythm as soon as she was joined by her male partner.

They danced in circle, chasing, cajoling and flirting with each other.

Oleg was all about depicting various emotions -- being in love, celebrating companionship and in the end bearing the fate of separation.

"It was the display of strong chemistry between the Bumblebees," said 48-year-old Myomana Sedana, the male Oleg dancer.

A Professor in School of Performing Arts in Bali, Indonesia, he was joined by his wife Seniashi in the duet.

"I felt very good. My wife (lady Bumblebee) responded very well to my moves on stage. It was in a way a replay of our love story-- My wooing of her and eventually falling in love,"he said.

Unlike the end of Oleg, theirs is a happy story which moved on with marriage and three grown-up children.

Sedana is here to participate in a four-day festival to mark intercultural dialogue between North East India and Southeast Asia, starting from March 17.
Like Sedana, over 29 artistes from Indonesia, Cambodia and Thailand have come to showcase the best of their countries cultural performances.

People can enjoy watching Indonesian dance of "Laras-leres (a dance of invoking gods), Sekar Pudyastuti (Welcome dance by the lady host in honor of guests), Cambodian dance of Monosanchetana ( Romance of the Lovers) at Indira Gandhi National Center for Arts.

The foreign artistes have been joined by about 180 performers, artisans, painters and scholars from India's north-eastern region. They have brought with them the best of north-eastern food, handicraft, furniture and nick-knacks to sell. An exhibition of photography, painting, textile, utensil and musical instruments is giving an insight into the way of life of northeast India.

Symposiums are other attractions of the festival where scholars and academics are delving into topics exploring various similarities these regions share, including historical links, physical features, lingual, cultural and food similarities.

The festival is a culmination of the month-long event that started in Guwahati, state capital of Assam, on Feb 21. It later moved on to other northeastern states of Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland and Manipur before finally reaching Delhi.

Conceptualized, supported and funded by Indira Gandhi Center for Arts, this is the first time that such an event has been hosted by India.

"The idea of holding such an event was to explore our common roots. It's known that there are a lot of similarities as we are neighboring states. And people to people exchange of dialogue and culture will help in exploring and enhancing our ties," Xinhua cited Hekali Zhimomi, Director of Northeast Zone Cultural Center, as saying.

She is optimistic that such events will help in having a " better understanding of the region, in forging friendship and perhaps in embarking on a common journey of understanding each other's culture and common roots."

Google TV Coming Soon, To A Home Near You?

New TV Platform May Be In The Works

Google has partnered with companies including Sony and Intel to create a new TV platform, called Google TV, according to the New York Times.

Google TV would be an Android-powered Internet platform aimed at improving web browsing on TV sets, allowing users to navigate sites with the flick of the remote. The mobile app market has already exploded--it's estimated it will $17.5 billion by 2012--and it seems apps tailored to televisions could be next. Google TV's Android platform would likely allow users to run apps on their sets, meaning developers would be challenged with creating a new suite of TV applications.

The New York Times describes the Google TV project:

Some existing televisions and set-top boxes offer access to Web content, but the choice of sites is limited. Google intends to open its TV platform, which is based on its Android operating system for smartphones, to software developers. The company hopes the move will spur the same outpouring of creativity that consumers have seen in applications for cellphones.

Google TV highlights Google's aspirations to move far beyond the web. The company entered the mobile handset market with its Nexus One phone earlier this year; has plans to build an ultra-fast broadband network; and received permission to buy and sell energy in February 2010.

'Google wants to be everywhere the Internet is so they can put ads there,' an insider source told the New York Times.

Google's forays beyond search have increased rivalries between the company and Apple--Steve Jobs reportedly warned Apple employees that 'teams at Google want to kill us'--and TechCrunch notes that Google TV is likely to put pressure on Apple to improve Apple TV, long criticized as one of the company's weaker products.

Apple needs to 'push Apple TV beyond a hobby,' writes TechCrunch:

The formerly close allies are increasingly competing in key spaces for both, and the living room is likely to be a new battleground because it's still very much up in air. As the New York Times reported yesterday, Google is working with partners including Intel, Sony, and Logitech to bring a Google TV experience into the living room. This is, of course, where the Apple TV resides. And Apple would be foolish to simply cede any ground it does have to its new favorite rival just because it's focused on other things (*cough* iPad *cough*). That's a Microsoft move.

Story continues below

The report of a Google TV product in the works comes soon after Google's announcement that it will be testing a TV search service.

Encounter in Manipur Sparks Protests

Imphal, Mar 19 : A suspected militant was killed in a gun battle by the security forces, sparking protest by locals who claimed the encounter to be fake. 23-year-old militant Chongtham Nanao was killed during the encounter with a joint team of 21st Assam Rifles battalion and police commandos in Thoubal district on March 14, officials said.

However, alleging that Nanao was picked up from his house at Sekmaijin area in Imphal West district by the security personnel and shot dead in Thoubal, a Joint Action Committee -- comprising locals -- blocked an important road on Thursday, linking two Manipur districts to this capital town.

The JAC formed in protest against the killing of the youth blocked Mayai Lambi road connecting Imphal and interior parts of Imphal West and Thoubal.

Demanding an inquiry into the incident, a JAC spokesman said the agitation would continue till security personnel involved in the killing were punished.

Last year, killing of Chungkham Sanjit Singh in an alleged fake encounter on July 23 at the Imphal market complex had led to a prolonged agitation by a social organization Apunba Lup (AL).

The matter generated heat after a Delhi-based magazine published photographs of the encounter.

Following the directions of the Imphal Bench of the Gauhati High Court, the CBI in January took over the investigation into the Chungkham Sanjit killing.

The controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, which is in force in Manipur empowers the security forces to open fire or arrest without a warrant while providing legal immunity.

Meghalaya to Fight Malaria With Fishes

Shillong, Mar 19 : With malaria being a perennial menace in the state, the state government has turned to a fish variety to kill mosquito at larval stage.
State health department has planned to distribute a fish, Gambusia Affinis, which eats mosquito larvae.

"More than 2000 carps of the fish were released at the fishery complex at Chasingre near Tura on Tuesday," informed West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal.

The fish breeds fast and one carp give birth to nearly 2,000 in three months.

"After breeding them, we plan to distribute it to the people through the public health centres," Goyal said.

He said a recent survey indicated that there were around 9,000 stagnant water bodies in West Garo Hills district alone, which are vulnerable to breeding malarial mosquitoes.

Gambusia, also called mosquito fish, is a natural predator of mosquito larvae and a large fish eat more than 200 larvae in an hour.

According to a health department study, the prevalence of malaria is about 16,656 per one lakh population which is five times more than the national average of 3697.

More than 200 people die of malaria each year, sources said.

Lafarge Reiterates Stand on Meghalaya

Mumbai, Mar 19 : Lafarge Umiam Mining (LUMPL), a subsidiary of Lafarge Surma Cement (LSC), has reiterated its commitment to environment and legal compliances for its operations in Meghalaya.

The company said in a statement that the self-styled organization called Shella Action Committee (SAC) held a press conference earlier today and made several unsubstantiated allegations against LUMPL.

"There is nothing new in the allegations made by the SAC, which is an unconnected breakaway group of Shella Village Durbar – that neither represents the Shella nor Nongtrai Durbar where the LUMPL operations are located. They have been advocating against the continuation of the project on various fictitious grounds for a long time," the release said.

LUMPL further said that it embarked upon mining operations in Nongtrai and Shella, East Khasi Hills Meghalaya only after receiving clearance from the competent authorities and it has always abided by the determinations as made by the authorities.

Meghalaya police officer joins militant group

Shillong, Mar 19 : A deputy superintendent of police in Meghalaya has gone missing and has allegedly joined the militant Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), a police official said.

Champion R. Sangma was posted as assistant commandant of 2nd Meghalaya Police battalion at Goeragre in the state’s West Garo Hills district when he went missing.

“We have served notice to him for being absent from duty for a very long time. His salary has been stopped,” Director General of Police S.B. Kakati said.

“We are making inquiries about Champion. We are hearing (he has joined a militant outfit) and waiting for the report,” Kakati added.

A senior Garo rebel leader claimed that Champion was now “commander-in-chief” of GNLA, whose cadres are deserters, mostly from the Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC) and Liberation of Achik Elite Force (LAEF).

Incidentally, LAEF was floated by another deserting policeman, Peter Marak, with the help of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah.

Marak was later killed in a crossfire while he was leading the police to a LAEF camp at Kalak in East Garo Hills Aug 22, 2007.

The GNLA is under the police scanner for serving extortion notes, ranging from Rs.5 lakh to Rs. 1 crore, to petrol pump owners, coal dealers and businessmen in the coal-rich districts of Garo Hills.

A retired inspector general of police was among those who received the extortion note.

“Most of the rank and file of GNLA are mostly those who had deserted our organisation and members of the LAEF,” ANVC spokesman Arist D. Sangma told IANS.

ANVC, a Garo rebel group operating in Garo Hills region, is locked in a ceasefire with the central and state governments till March 31.

Church's Help Sought in Fighting HIV/AIDS, Cancer in Northeast India

By Dibin Samuel

Children with HIV and Aids play at an orphanage in Aizawl, Mizoram

Aizawl, Mar 18 : A two-day seminar on 'Churches Involvement in Health and Mission' has identified HIV/AIDS and Cancer two urgent issues to be tackled by the Church in Northeast India.

The March 10-11 seminar at Aizawl, Mizoram goaded Church to make sincere efforts to ameliorate health concerns and take preventive action to fight various 'communicable' and 'non-communicable' diseases that are extending unchecked in the region.

Organized by the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) and the Christian Medical Association of India (CMAI), the discussion saw health experts and leaders of several mainline denominations ruminating on ways to improve healthcare and have Church play a 'healing role'.

"Cancer and the spread of HIV/AIDS present a daunting challenge in Northeast India. In addition to that are issues like cancer, human trafficking and drug abuse which sure is a worriment to entire Church here," says Dr. Hrangthan Chhungi of NCCI.

"It is high time Church come together and join hands with NGOs and government bodies to initiate programs and campaigns that educate our youths and help them take the right steps,” she adds. “Church denominations have great responsibilities to holistic Health in our Mission of God."

In his address, Chief Minister of Mizoram, Lal Thanhawla, took serious note of cancer and said it posed a great threat to the people of Northeast.

"Christians are expected to be healthy and hardworking, the reality in Mizoram is the opposite. The number of missionaries we sent outside Mizoram does not make us known to the world. What makes us known is the number of cancer patients in our small state.”

Asking Church to initiate awareness campaigns against tobacco consumption that is responsible for half of all the cancers in men, he said, "Christians are called to be holy, and to maintain this holiness we need to be cautious of what we eat and what we must abstain from."

Speaking on the occasion, Health and Family Welfare Minister Lalrinliana, urged Church to take the issue of HIV/AIDS with "great seriousness". "In fighting against HIV/AIDS sometimes the Church and NGOs make different approaches. On the controversy of 'condom' as well church must be more understanding as the Govt. and NGOs felt the need to promote the use of condoms for those who cannot resist having sex before marriage."

"Our land needs someone to care. The church is the most important and able body to take this task. Church must lend more support to the government and help in fighting such deadly diseases," he added.

The Aizawl seminar has called for "regular prayer" for HIV positives and in addition to that has asked "Evangelists to be messengers to such victims in isolation".

Furthermore, the participants also took note of human trafficking for which Northeast remains a hot-spot.

To fight this, they have asked Churches to "increase awareness, have a cell within the Church to address the issue and provide assistance to the victims."

via christiantoday