UNCONVENTIONAL WORLD RECORDS

I’d like to think most people like a fairy tale – when an ordinary girl becomes a princess, and future Queen Catherine. That happened during the wedding of Prince William and Catherine “Kate” Middleton (henceforth, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) on 29th April 2011. After that they were off on honeymoon, the location of which was initially not revealed, but later named as The Seychelles. Anyway, that would be a good time for the couple to have their back acne treatment, before heading back and getting on with endless royal duties.

Some trivia:

William is left handed.

2 billion (a third of the world’s population) watched on TV, at least a million people lined the procession route, with half of them watching the balcony kisses.

It’s the biggest royal celebration for three decades.

Kate did her own makeup.

Dress designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, looks similar to what another commoner-turned-princess, Grace Kelly wore during her 1956 wedding to Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

The train is 9 feet long, compared to Diana’s 25.

As @alphaque wrote, the kiss that congested a thousand routers and servers, and surely will be plastered on front pages of newspapers all over the world tomorrow:

In fact, not one, but two kisses. Evokes memories of Charles-Diana’s [dubbed The Wedding Of The Century] own Balcony Kiss 30 years earlier:

Everything seems to have gone according to plan except for that incident of the the loose horse running behind the landau and overtaking it. Someone mentioned that a few people then jumped on it to grab its neck, while at the back, there’s the rider lying on the ground.

Everybody sings God Save The Queen, except the Queen herself [starts 1:06 in the following video]:

Worst hat of the day probably belongs to Princess Beatrice of York:

David Beckham wore his OBE medal on the wrong side (he corrected it inside the Abbey):

Samantha Cameron, the British Prime Minister’s wife is the only VIP not wearing a hat:

Befitting a 21st century event, we get saturation coverage. Apart from the usual multi-channel High Definition TV viewing and live web coverage, you can:

- sign the wedding book by sending a video of your message to the couple at the Royal Channel on Youtube.

- see the Official Wedding Programme. I don’t think I have ever seen the specs of a wedding programme described in such detail viz “…printed on Novatech Matt paper (the cover is 250gsm and the inner pages are 150gsm). The paper is FSC stock produced with 100% Elemental Chlorine Free pulp.”

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The Carpenters were made up of siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter. They were the top selling American music act of the 1970s, scoring 12 top 10 and 3 number 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. They have sold more than 100 million records.

Karen Carpenter (1950-1983) was the lead vocalist with a pure, effortless voice. At the same time, she was an exceptional drummer. Her skills were commended by excellent drummers of the time including Hal Blaine, Cubby O’Brien and Buddy “the world’s greatest drummer” Rich.

When the group first started, Karen was both the lead singer and drummer. It was only starting in 1973 that she stood at the mike while another person played the drums.

The following video showcases her undeniable drumming talent, while singing at the same time:

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Date: 10th April 2011
Who: Quinonez Wilson
Position: Goalkeeper for Club Sport Colombia
Match: Club Sport Colombia v Club Cerro Porteno (Paraguayan Second Division league match)
Distance: 80m (some say 83m)
Time: sometime in 2nd half

Some people might see this as the biggest fluke goal ever.

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I’m focusing on that golden era (late 1970s & early 1980s) where the best and most memorable songs are exquisitely beautiful sad songs sung by ladies with golden voices. Some have called this period the golden age of melancholic pop.

Most, if not all of the songs are available for download – google/youtube them.

Please correct/add/delete as necessary, thanks.

Format: vocalist – song title (songwriter)

Before the era:

1970s
Tetty Kadi – Senandung Rindu (A Riyanto)

1973
Broery Marantika – Angin Malam (A Riyanto) [and all songs in Achir Sebuah Impian OST]

1976-77
Bop Tutupoli – Widuri

The era begins:

1978
Diana Nasution – Jangan Biarkan (Hanny Tuhateru)
Diana Nasution – Benci Tapi Rindu (Rinto Harahap)

1979
Iis Sugianto – Jangan Sakiti Hatinya (Rinto Harahap)
Hetty Koes Endang – Dingin (Rinto Harahap)
Ebiet G Ade – Lagu Untuk Sebuah Nama (Ebiet G Ade) [off Camellia I]
Ebiet G Ade – Camellia I (Ebiet G Ade) [ditto]
Ebiet G Ade – Berita Kepada Kawan (Ebiet G Ade) [off Camellia II, produced in the same year as Camellia I]
Ebiet G Ade – Camellia II (Ebiet G Ade) [ditto]
Rita Butar Butar – Seandainya AKu Punya Sayap (Rinto Harahap)

1980
Iis Sugianto – Nasibmu Nasibku (Rinto Harahap)
Ebiet G Ade – Elegi Esok Pagi (Ebiet G Ade)
Nur Afni Oktavia – Bila Kau Seorang Diri (Rinto Harahap)
Nia Daniaty – Kaulah Segalanya (Rinto Harahap) [another blog said this song was released in 1981]

1981
Iis Sugianto – Bunga Sedap Malam (Rinto Harahap)
Jamal Mirdad – Hati Selembut Salju (Harry Toos)
Betharia Sonatha – Kau Tercipta Untukku (Rinto Harahap)
Christine Panjaitan – Jangan Simpan Tangismu (Rinto Harahap)
Rano Karno – Yang Sangat Ku Sayang (A Riyanto)

1982
Betharia Sonatha – Kau Untuk Siapa (Rinto Harahap)
Betharia Sonatha – Aku Tak Ingin Sandiwara (Rinto Harahap) [the perfect embodiment of the "woh woh woh" lyrics section]
Christine Panjaitan – Tangan Tak Sampai (Rinto Harahap)
Jamal Mirdad – Hati Lebur Jadi Debu (A Riyanto) [I think Hetty Koes Endang's cover released in the same year is the more famous version]
Jamal Mirdad – Hati Seorang Kawan Baru (A Riyanto)
Endang S Taurina – Jawaban Hati Selembut Salju (Harry Toos)

1983
Betharia Sonatha – Aku Ingin Cinta Yang Nyata (Rinto Harahap)
Endang S Taurina – Cinta Jangan Dibeli (Chilung Ramali) [off Apa Yang Kucari - but I didn't find the famous title track particularly memorable]
Endang S Taurina – Kejamnya Manusia (A Riyanto) [ditto]
Jamal Mirdad – Hanya Satu Kau, Kau, Kau (Is Haryanto) [off Hati Kecil Penuh Janji]
Jamal Mirdad – Siti Aisyah (A Riyanto) [ditto]

1984
Dian Piesesha – Tak Ingin Sendiri (Pance Pondaag) [off her Vol. 4 album, which reportedly sold almost 3 million copies, then the biggest-selling album in Indonesia's history. Hetty Koes Endang's cover later arguably became the more famous version]
Anita Sarawak – Bawalah Daku Pergi (Harry Sabar) [perhaps the only non-Indonesian in the list]
Endang S Taurina – Hujan Datang Lagi (Chilung Ramali) [off Dia Yang Kucari LP, another of her albums where I didn't find the title track particularly good]

1985
Bill & Brod – Madu Dan Racun (Arie Wibowo & Jonathan Purba) [apparently originally written in 1975 as Bingung]
Hetty Koes Endang – Demi Cinta Ni Yee (Pompy)
Obbie Messakh – Antara Cinta Dan Dusta (Obbie Messakh)
Endang S Taurina – Rinduku Tiada Yang Tahu (A Riyanto) [finally, a cracking title track!]
Nia Daniaty – Masih Adakah Rindu (Rinto Harahap)
Endang S Taurina – Bunga Dan Kumbang (A Riyanto)
Richie Ricardo – Nona Manis (Yonas Pareira)

1986
Bill & Brod – Singkong Dan Keju (Arie Wibowo)
Nia Daniaty – Gelas-Gelas Kaca (Rinto Harahap)

1987

Betharia Sonatha – Hati Yang Luka (Obbie Messakh) [yes, coming right at the tail end of the era, Ms Sonatha scored her best selling album, the title track of which was so popular and so worried Indonesia's then Information Minister that songs of similar lyrics (dealing with wife abuse) were banned from the airwaves.]

The era ends.

Year waiting to be classified:
Rita Butar Butar – Tak Ingin Mengemis Cinta (1979?)
Ratih Purwasih – Hati Dan Cintamu (Obbie Messakh) [1986?]
Ratih Purwasih – Kau Tercipta Bukan Untukku

If I have to list the best 10 (in no particular order):
1 Diana Nasution – Benci Tapi Rindu (Rinto Harahap)
2 Christine Panjaitan – Tangan Tak Sampai (Rinto Harahap)
3 Betharia Sonatha – Kau Tercipta Untukku (Rinto Harahap)
4 Endang S Taurina – Rinduku Tiada Yang Tahu
5 Ratih Purwasih – Hati Dan Cintamu (Obbie Messakh)
6 Iis Sugianto – Nasibmu Nasibku (Rinto Harahap)
7 Jamal Mirdad – Hati Selembut Salju (Harry Toos)
8 Iis Sugianto – Jangan Sakiti Hatinya (Rinto Harahap)
9 Dian Piesesha – Tak Ingin Sendiri (Pance Pondaag)
10 Endang S Taurina – Hujan Datang Lagi (Chilung Ramali)

Later classics:
1992
Ruth Sahanaya – Kaulah Segalanya

1996
Desy Ratnasari – Tenda Biru

1998
Alda Risma – Aku Tak Biasa
Mayang Sari – Tiada Lagi

1999
Krisdayanti – Menghitung Hari

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Match: Poland vs Colombia, 2006 World Cup warm-up match
Date: 30 May 2006
Poor goalkeeper: Tomas Kuszczak (Poland and Manchester United)
Scoring goalkeeper: Neco Martínez, who could be forgiven if he turned into a zumba dancer in celebration.
Aftermath: Kuszczak became mere backup during the World Cup and did not play a single match.

Match: Deportivo Táchira v Independiente, a Copa Libertadores match (the most prestigious club competition in South American football)
Date: 19 July 1987
Poor goalkeeper: Luis Islas (goalkeeper for Argentina’s national team)
Scoring goalkeeper: Daniel Francovig (Deportivo Táchira, Venezuela)
Note: I might’ve gotten the 2 mixed up

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Princess Juliana International Airport (also known as Sint Maarten International Airport) is located on the Dutch side of Saint Martin island, which is located in the northeast Caribbean, about 300 km east of Puerto Rico.

It was opened in 1943 and named after Juliana of the Netherlands, then the crown princess.

Airplanes landing at the airport fly low over the renowned Maho Beach. Hence, the approach is awe inspiring and being on the beach is a perfect place for plane-watching, not to mention nerve wracking.

I think one would not find the tranquility one would expect from a lazy day by the sea here.

A video of a 747 i.e. huge plane, landing:

Amazingly, despite what one might see as an extremely difficult approach, there has apparently been no major incidents there.

Some comments from the youtube video:

The engineer who designed this airport might have been drunk or high.

That’s one beach you can’t fall asleep on.

Maybe they made the beach after they made the airport.

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In 1957, the Ford Motor Company showed to the world their most audacious project ever: a nuclear-powered car dubbed Nucleon, the miniature uranium fission reactor located at the back.

Power is generated by quickly converting stored water to high-pressure steam, which in turn drove turbines to provide torque and electricity. Afterwards, water from the condensed steam would be reused by the steam generator. Hence, the system power was generated as long as there’s fissile material remaining.

It was anticipated that the car would be able to travel 5,000 miles without refueling – that’s like only one stop at the gas station once every 45 days!

Plus, it would much quieter than the typical roar of conventional engines, the only relatively loud noise coming from the turbines.

Alas it never made it to production, due to the fact that mini reactors never became reality, nor were shielding materials light enough to put in a car, rather than bulky lead. Not to mention the question of how to deal with all that nuclear waste.

And today a nuclear car is nowhere near to reality, due to the inherent dangers of an atomic reactor being carried around by novices – any collision has the destructive potential of a radioactive disaster – perhaps we have to be content with our nuclear-powered energy efficient outdoor lightings.

Or is it?

In 2009, it was reported that Cadillac has unveiled its very own nuclear concept car, the appropriately named Cadillac WTF, “WTF” being the abbreviation for World Thorium Fuel.

Dubbed the world’s second nuclear-powered car, it reportedly:
- runs on thorium, which powers its batteries.
- was created by a Mr Loren Kulesus;
- lasts a century without any maintenance (built-in redundancies for its “major systems”);
- each tyre is actually made up of 6 individual wheels, hence the car actually has 24 wheels;
- each wheel has its very own power source i.e. “induction motor”;
- each tyre would need adjusting only once every 5 years.

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Probably the most famous April Fools’ Day hoax of all time is the Spaghetti Tree Hoax.

On 1st April 1957, BBC’s current affairs television programme Panorama showed what was apparently a family in southern Switzerland harvesting spaghetti from a tree. It was reported that the bounty was caused by the eradication of the spaghetti weevil. As a result, many people to contacted the station to find out how to plant their own “spaghetti trees”.

The hoax worked because at that time the Italian delicacy was not yet popular in the United Kingdom, hence not everybody knew that spaghetti is made from wheat flour and water, and definitely does not grow on trees.

In addition, it was narrated by respected broadcaster Richard Dimbleby, hence increasing its credibility.

The report lasted around 3 minutes:

The BBC let its viewers know the truth on the same day.

Many years later CNN called this “the biggest hoax that any reputable news establishment ever pulled.”

Source
Museum of Hoaxes

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