Fastest Woman in the World on a Motorcycle World Record set by Leslie Porterfield

She's breaking stereotypes and records almost every time she gets on a motorcycle. Her fans say she's hot, fast and fearless. Porterfield even has the nicknames to go with it like "Speed Queen" and "Dallas Diva."

But, her official title is "Fastest Woman in the World on a Motorcycle."

"My top average through the mile is 240 miles-per-hour," Porterfield said.

Her top official speed at the Bonneville Salt Flats that got her into the Guinness Book of World Records is 232 miles-an-hour.

"I get a whole lot of people tell me that I'm crazy," Porterfield said. "And, they're probably right. Actually, I know they're right."


It all started when she was 16 in the Dallas suburb of Flower Mound.

"It was more of a fluke," Porterfield said. "I purchased my first bike from a neighbor. It was an old beat up machine. I just thought it would be neat."

And, she says no one was going to stop her.

"I think part of the reason I was so determined to ride was because everybody said at 16 I wouldn't be able to ride this motorcycle," Porterfield said. "There is just no way I would ever be able to ride it."

Well, that fluke encounter with a motorcycle turned into fate as her passion started her ride into the history books, along with a few trips to the courthouse.

"I got a few speeding tickets when I was younger," Porterfield said. "(Then) a friend of mine convinced me to get out on the track."

She started racing at 19. Then she eventually started her own motorcycle shop in Dallas called High Five Cycles. In 2006, she built her first superbike. In 2007, she went for her first record.

"2007 didn't go so well," Porterfield said. "I actually didn't break any records. I broke seven ribs, punctured a lung and had a concussion and I came off the bike at a little over 100 miles-an-hour and had a pretty bad accident."

Her body was broken, but not her confidence. She rebuilt her bike and her dream a year later.

"In 2008, my first record was 209 miles-an-hour which got me into the Bonneville 200 mile-an-hour club," Porterfield said. "The first woman on a motorcycle to do so, which is a huge accomplishment."

Then in 2009 she hit 232 miles-an-hour.

"It's a long time at wide open," Porterfield said. "It's a big test on the machine and it's big test on the rider. Things go by really fast."

Her life has been going even faster ever since with fashion photo shoots and bike building, along with a little time for family and hanging out with her boyfriend.

And when asked if her boyfriend rides she said, "Yes, he sure does." But, can he beat her in a race? "NO, he knows that I'm faster than him," Porterfield said. "But, he's really gracious about it too. It doesn't bother him at all."

Now she has her eyes on another record that has nothing to do with gender.

"I'd love to have the top record," Porterfield said. "I'd like to be the fastest person in the world on a motorcycle."

To do that, she'll have to go faster than 254 miles-an-hour. The fast money says she'll do it.

"It's been an amazing experience," Porterfield said. "I'm really living a dream."

Current or prior Motorcycle Land Speed records in 4 classes:

• FIM Mile Record Class MPS-BF 2000 at 232.522
• FIM Mile Record Class P-P 1000 at 192.930
• FIM Kilometer Record P-P 1000 at 193.077
• FIM Kilometer Record Class MPS-BF 2000 at 232.492
• AMA Record Class MPS-BF 2000 at 232.523
• AMA Record Class P-P 1000 at 192.930
• SCTA Record Class M-BF 1350 at 209.398 AMA APS-BF 1350 at 234.0
• TOP speed: 246.6mph

Video of World Fastest Woman on a Motorcycle Guinness World Record set by Leslie Porterfield

Strictly Come Dancing - World's Most Successful Reality Show set World Record

The BBC's popular dance show, Strictly Come Dancing, has entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's most successful reality television format.

The show has been sold to 38 countries across the globe and more than a quarter of a billion people are believed to have watched an international version of the programme since it was launched.

The international spin-offs, which are sold as Dancing With The Stars, helped the BBC's commercial arm to record profits of £145.2 million last year, reports The Telegraph.



It is distributed by BBC Worldwide, which pushed sales above £1 billion for the second year in a row during the 12 months to March 31.

BBC Worldwide has described profits from the overseas versions of Strictly Come Dancing as "excellent."

Australia was the first country to adapt the show and the format has become hugely popular in the United States where it is now in its 11th season.

Other countries to have picked it up include Albania, Argentina, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Israel, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, Turkey and Ukraine.

Strictly Come Dancing 2010 Guinness World Record Video

Ann Widdecombe and Anton Du Beke - Strictly Come Dancing 2010 Video, Week 2 - BBC One

Feliks Zemdegs Aussie Teen Breaks Rubik's Cube World Record

Feliks Zemdegs, 14, completed the 3 x 3 x 3 Rubik's cube in just 6.77 seconds at the Australia Cube Day held in RMIT University in Melbourne last Saturday.

Incredibly another teenager, Rowe Hessler, also broke the world record on the same weekend, while competing in a separate competition in Massachusetts.

Zemdegs managed to pip Hessler, 19, by 0.17 seconds to clinch the world record, previously set by Dutchman Erik Akkersdijk in 2008.

But Hessler was magnanimous in defeat, telling ninemsn that Zemdegs was "an amazing cuber".


"I believe he will be top of the world for many years. It is a shame that I got my 6.94 a few hours after his, but he deserved the world record far more than I did. He has extraordinary speed and reflexes and is considered by many, including me, to be a God of cubing," Hessler said.

Zemdeg's father David said he was very proud of his son.

"He's happy to set the times, but he doesn't seem to know what the fuss is about," he said. "I'm obviously happy for him as he's been getting under 7.08 seconds everyday at home but to do it during competition is a different matter… it's both luck and nerves."

World Cube Association President Ron van Bruchem said Zemdegs was a humble competitor, despite having found fame on the internet with his cube-solving feats.

"He is kind of a legend, but he is still a young man… if he can get his nerves right, I think he can be the next world champion. He's setting the world standard right now. He broke 5 world records this weekend, he's just amazing," Mr van Bruchem said in a phone interview with ninemsn from Amsterdam.

"Cubing is not at all about mathematics. You can use mathematical principles - but you don’t need to have a brain for mathematics to do it," Mr van Bruchem said.

"It's not like tennis, where you play against another competitor. With cubing, it is more that you compete against yourself, you have to do your best to set your own record," he said.

Feliks Zemdegs - Rubik's cube official world record 6.77 seconds in 2010 World Record Video

Record honeymoon (11 Photos)

On Sunday, November 7, at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, it was possible to observe the unusual event: the couple, Denise and Mark Duffield, Thomas in the 80 th time said "marriage vows". These young men are beaten for the record, listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Winners of international competition Ultimate Job - Denise Australian and Englishman Mark - received the award in the form of paid "honeymoon" long in one year.

World Biggest Teapot Monument World Record set by Meitan Tea Museum

At 73.8 meters in height, and featuring a floor area of over 5,000 square meters, this unique teapot museum of Meitan is the world’s biggest teapot-shaped building.

China’s Meitan County is known as the “hometown of Chinese green tea”, and the reputation of Meitan green tea has surpassed national borders, so there was really no better place to build a museum of tea culture. As fascinating as visiting this place may be to tea lovers, we’re more interested in its unique architecture. Shaped like a giant clay teapot, and accompanied by a smaller building shaped like a tea cup, the Meitan tea museum is one of the weirdest looking museums in the world. Seen from a distance, it looks like just a strange teapot sculpture, but as you approach it, the windows give away its true purpose.

With a maximum diameter of 24 meters, and a capacity of 28,360.23 cubic meters, the Meitan tea museum is by far the world’s largest teapot.

India's Longest Digital Art Design in Limca Book of Record

The Great Story-Wall is a 100metre long banner on digital art, the design of which is based on myths, legends and indigenous stories of Eastern Himalayas. The feat is also setting a World Record( Limca Book of Records 2010) on the Tuesday at Paljor Namgyal Girls High School in Gangtok.

The Great Story Wall Project, however, isn’t only about creating a world record feat. It extends to a 6-month travel based storytelling tour (along with the banner) across various cities of the country beginning from Bangalore, the base of Acoustic Traditional ,continuing its journey to Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkatta, Delhi,Darjeeling,Shillong, Imphal, Itanagar that will also bring the support and involvement of various folklore-based organizations(NGO”s) ,government agencies and youth organizations of the city/state.said Salil Mukhia  designer and founder of Bangalore based NGO Acoustic Traditional.

The display of the 100 metre long banner on digital art. The design/art is based on the myths, legends and stories shared by various storytellers during the Indigenous storytellers’ Fest conducted in Gangtok this year which was the first meeting of indigenous storytellers ever held in South Asia. The stories that will comprise the backdrop of the present artwork are mainly from ethnic groups of  Sikkim and Eastern Himalayas like the Lepchas, Limboos, Bhutias,Gurungs, Rai , Apatani, Mayeti and other groups like  Paniyars from Nilgiris and Potwas from West Bengal with whom Acoustic Traditional had worked with in the past, he said.

The 100 metre banner is  setting a World Record for being the longest  banner of its kind and is declared a record by  the Limca book of records  today at the Palzor Namgyal School in Gangtok.The banner will be displayed for a week and would reach out to school /college students and tourists  and the people of Gangtok over the week informed.

The Great Story-Wall Project primarily aims to build interest and awareness in folklore among the youth and also engage the media and all stakeholders  towards the promotion of  our tradition of oral storytelling  and preservation of our disappearing folklores and indigenous knowledge.The Great Story-Wall is a befitting tribute to all the storytellers, to whom we owe so much, yet seldom acknowledged.

Acoustic Traditional is an NGO that  works to promote indigenous stories and their ethnic storytellers,to creatively communicate the role of stories in preserving the ethnic identities and traditional wisdom and to interest more storytellers through the Indigenous Storytellers Fest organized annually.

We invite you to attend the event of the display of the banner and help to reach out to youth and various stakeholders for promoting our tradition of oral storytelling.

Ashok Kumthekar - 12 fingers and 14 toes in World Record Book

An Indian man is proud of the 12 fingers and 14 toes which have put him in the record books.

Rather than feel self conscious about the way he was born, Haramb Ashok Kumthekar has always celebrated his extra digits.

The 24-year-old business graduate was born with six fingers on each hand and seven toes on each foot.
This means he is the unofficial record holder for the most recorded number of fingers and toes on a living person.

However, he does not hold the Guinness world record which is held by fellow countryman Devendra Harne, who has 12 fingers and 13 toes on his feet.

Haramb does not hold the official record because, technically, some of his fingers are attached and are not classed as separate digits.

However, he is recognised by the Indian equivalent of the Guinness Book of Records, the Limca Book of Records.

Haramb's extra fingers and toes are caused by the medical condition polydactlyism, which comes from the Greek for "many fingers".

While each of Haramb's extra fingers and toes have separate bones, they don't all boast nerve endings and he is unable to move them or feel them all properly.

And while he is proud of his extra digits, Haramb admits that it can be frustrating at times, especially when it comes to finding shoes for his feet or gloves for his hands.

World Record for Wearing the Most amount of Underpants

TONIGHT'S the night for Geordie Pants Man Gary Craig and his record-breaking charity bid.

The 51-year-old architect, from Whitburn, will attempt to smash the Guinness world record for wearing the most amount of underpants at a time – 190 – at Dusk nightclub, in South Shields.

And having had about 40 of the pairs sponsored by various companies and individuals, the dad-of-two looks set to raise more than £2,000 for the Cancer Connections Quids In campaign to buy a new centre of operations.

"We need less than £10,000 to purchase the bungalow where Cancer Connections will be based," he said.

"I'm very proud of how the people of South Tyneside have supported both me and the charity to raise close to £350,000."

"I've got the final list of main sponsors, and their logos will go on the final few pairs of hopefully record-breaking pants."

The night begins at about 7pm, when those paying £3 entrance fee will be entertained by a bar and disco, as well as a 'preview' of all the sponsored underwear.

The action really starts at 8.15pm, when Gary goes for the title, held by former Aussie rules player Shane Crawford.

"I think it will take about half and hour. I'm pretty confident, even though I haven't managed the magic total of 191 yet.

"I'm hoping the crowd will give us that extra bit of life on the night and I get to 200."

Half of all cash raised will go to St Simon's Drop-In Centre For The Unemployed in South Shields, where Gary is the chairman.

Tickets are available from The Mile pub in South Shields, or you can pay on the door.

To donate cash, visit www.geordiepantsman.co.uk, or call 529 4964.

Tyler Shields Stays Awake For 40 Days, Sets A World Record

 Tyler Shields  sleeping after 40 days !

The American professional photographer Tyler Shields announced two days before that he is all to break the previous world record and set a record for himself by staying awake for 40 days. The Los Angeles photographer said that he stayed awake for consecutive 968 hours to make a new world record. After setting his own record he said that one of the main interesting fact is that nobody is going to complain about being tired when they are around him as he has spent 40 sleepless days and nights.

Tyler Shields, after his achievement told a reputed media source that now that he has set the record of staying awake for 968 hours, no body can tell him that he is “exhausted” when the person is with Tyler Shields. Early in this week Tyler Shields said that he completed his sleep-deprivation and has overcome fevers, eye pain, headaches and in the end even the loss of “feeling on his legs” to last more than a month without sleep.


In-spite of all his efforts, Guinness World Records officials said that they would not recognize this as a record as it is very difficult to prove that he actually did not sleep for so many hours.

Tyler Shields, on the other hand said that it is “important” for people to do and believe in things that they feel is “impossible”. However, he also said that many people told him that he would never be able to make it till 40 days as the task was “impossible” but he wanted to “challenge” himself. He explained that the whole process was “terrible” for him. In the end, he said that he would not advise anyone to do it though after setting the record he feels it was “pretty awesome”.

Tyler Shields Latest World Record Photography Video

10 of the Sexiest World Records

World records don’t always have to be about who can lift the most tractor tires or how many clothespins a guy can somehow attach to his face, sometimes they can be downright sexy. Some are sexual but still toe the line of weird or just downright disturbing, but sex is sex and we’ve trawled the Internet to find them anyway. These are the 10 sexiest world records; think you can break any of them?



Longest Tongue

Most people can do at least one funny thing with their faces — crossing eyes, wiggling ears, moving eyebrows in different directions — but Annika Irmler can do some pretty impressive things with her tongue. With a record-breaking 2.7-inch long tongue, she’s able to lick the bottom of an ice cream cone without needing to bite the sides off. As long as you keep the image of Gene Simmons out of your head, we’d imagine you could come up with a lot of other things she could do with that tongue.



Largest Augmented Breasts

Some guys drool over a nice pair of stems or a firm behind, but easily half of all men consider breasts to be their downfall. Stripper Maxi Mounds wasn’t very impressed with the results of traditional breast implant procedures, so she underwent a now banned procedure to inflate her girls beyond belief. Ms. Mounds now holds the record for largest fake breasts, but it took a few years of lobbying to the Guinness World Records to include her 36MM jugs in the new category made just for them.



Strongest Vagina

Traditionally, there have been contests for testing feats of strength, and when we think of a strong woman, the image of an overly ripped manly beast comes to mind. But what about a woman with a strong vagina? Tatiata Kozhevnikova officially has the world’s strongest vagina, and she keeps crushing her own records. Her vagoo was last recorded as being able to lift a staggering 31 pounds — that’s about the weight of an English Cocker Spaniel. How? Well, she has custom made glass balls with string attachments she sticks up there — and 15 years of training didn’t hurt either. We’d like to know what kind of pressure she can exert, but since nobody’s bothered to put a meter in there to find out, we can only imagine.



Most Instances of Sex Acts

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When people train for marathons, a lot of extra endurance training is involved. But when it comes to a porn star shooting for a sex record, it just seems… unfair. There have been many gang bang record breaking events, but adult film star Candy Apples takes the cake — she hit 742 back in 1999. Candy was trying for a record 2,000 sex acts — and according to her handlers she could have gone above and beyond — but the police raided the event before she could even hit the 1k mark.



Longest Time Spent Masturbating (Female)

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Guys always get the bad reputation for masturbating an obscene amount, but chicks definitely get their jollies too. May is said to be Masturbation Month, and in honor of this momentous month, the Masturbate-a-thon event is held around the world to raise money for AIDS. At one such event, the 2008 San Francisco event in particular, a woman by the name of Kitty Kat masturbated for a total of 7 hours 6 minutes — and while wearing her fuzzy cat ears, no less.



Fastest Time to Pass Through a Tennis Racket Three Times

Skye Broberg’s nickname is “Bendy Skye,” so you know why you’re getting that tickly feeling in your pants. A woman flexible enough to fit through a tennis racket is one we’d like to get to know. Skye can pass through a tennis racket three times in only 12.4 seconds — smashing the record previously held by Rubberboy, at 60 seconds.



Most Vienna Sausages Eaten in 10 Minutes

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It’s pretty hot seeing a tiny 100-pound chick nosh away at a beastly burger, and if that gets you off, eating champion Sonya Thomas will blow your mind. Sonya holds many eating records — her nickname is “The Widower” — and still manages to maintain her teensy frame. Our favorite food record of her though, by far, is eating 8.31 pounds of Vienna Sausages in 10 minutes. Any chick that can down sausage like that is a favorite in our book.



Most Orgasms By Masturbating (Female)

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Some women are champs in their own right when it comes to having multiple orgasms. On top of the biological advantage, it’s not surprising that a woman holds the record at the Masturbate-a-thon for most orgasms achieved. Although some men have gone into the double-digits during the events (kudos, boys), a woman was once recorded as reaching an impressive 222 orgasms in 2009 at the Denmark Masturbate-a-thon. We’re not sure how the female orgasms are proved to be real, but hey, it’s in a public forum so they’re still fun to watch.



Longest Time to Hold the Marinelli Bend Position

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Watching gymnasts can be pretty arousing, and if you haven’t agreed in the past — you’re about to. Meet the Marinelli Bend position, a backbend supported only by an oral grip at the top of a short post that is bit and held in the mouth for the entire duration of the hold. If you can’t imagine it yet, just watch the record-breaking video above in which Oyungerel Luvsandorj holds the position for 33 seconds.



Largest Natural Breasts

We discovered the world’s largest augmented breasts at 36MM, but what about the natural ones? Though Norma Stitz sports a fake name (and a brilliant one at that), her 8-foot 6-inch bust — a size 102ZZZ — is 100% real. It was a challenge for her to find someone to make such a massive bra, but her persistence paid off, and she has since made bank on her escapades during the last 10 years as a record holder. Initially self-conscious as a youngster, Norma has since turned down breast reductions and embraced her assets. She also has what could be one of the funniest sites on the Internet.


Amazing facts-Worl'd largest crayon

It weighs 1,500 pounds and is 15 feet long.

Apparently, this crayon could draw a line 10 miles long!

Crayola created this monster sized crayon with crayons donated by children to celebrate the company’s 100th birthday!

1110 Kicks in 30 Mins Pakistani Man Sets Martial Arts World Record

A martial arts expert from Pakistan, Ahmed Hussain, has smashed the world record in martial arts kicks with 1110 kicks in 30 minutes.

Hussain, who belongs to Upper Dir district in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa province, made this new world record in presence of two judges at Peshawar Press Club, reports the News.

Moreover, he also improved his previous best world record of most kicks in one minute with 146 kicks beating his previous best of 144 kicks in a minute.

Hussain also have the world best record of punches with 400 punches in one minute under his belt.

All his records have been added in Guinness Book Of World Records and 'the punch and kick' champion now looks for appreciation from government.

World’s Largest Human Pink Ribbon Chain World Record set by Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia entered the Guinness Book of World Records by forming the world’s largest human pink ribbon chain at the Ministry of Education Sports Stadium in Al-Rawdah Thursday.

The event, part of the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign which is under the patronage of the Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Foundation and the Princess Reema Bint Bandar Bin Sultan Al-Saud and Al-Bidayah Center for the Zahra Breast Cancer Association, saw the previous record figure of 3,640 beaten by a turnout of over 4,000 women of Saudi and foreign nationalities.

Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Princess Reema said the occasion would help promote “much needed public awareness of the causes and effects of cancer”. “This will let women and families affected by the disease know that they are not alone,” the princess said. “It’s very important that the awareness message gets to each and every woman in not just the Kingdom but the entire world.”

With medical procedures available that can detect Stage 1 and 2 breast cancer, Princess Reema said that it was essential to inform women through the media of the need for early check-ups.“Every woman who hasn’t been able to join us today will know that we are with her and that she is not suffering alone.”

“We have been following the numbers of people intending to take part in the event through Facebook, text messages, the television and other media, and word-of-mouth,” Princess Reema said. “We have people helping and supporting us and who really want to spread the word, people not just from Saudi Arabia but from all over the world, and that’s what makes the campaign so exciting.”

Contrary to popular belief, breast cancer affects both men and women, with figures from the Saudi Cancer Registry showing that in 2005 males represented 49 percent of cases reported in the Kingdom, a year which saw 10,513 reported cases of breast cancer.

Record for most passengers on an airplane

It is not clear who was the first to fly an airplane: Richard Pearse, Gustave Whitehead or Orville Wright. Whoever it may have been, the distances of their flights were only about the length of the wingspan of a Boeing 747. They probably never imagined the amount of people an aircraft will be able to carry one day.
The most passengers ever carried on one flight was in 1991 during the Operation Solomon evacuation of Ethiopian Jews during Operation Solomon. 1086 people boarded a 747 in Addis Ababa. When they landed in Jerusalem, there were 1089 passengers. Three babies were born during the flight.

Indian Bollywood Movies in Limca Book of Records

India’s premium music company and film production house Saregama India Ltd is attempting to enter their film Jhootha Hi Sahi in the Limca Book of Records. The attempt is for one of the songs in the film ‘Call Me Dil’, which has received tremendous appreciation from the listeners, was played 360 times on 91.1 fm Radio City across 15 cities nationally. The film is directed by Abbas Tyrewala starring John Abraham, Pakhi, Raghu, Mansi Scott, Prashant Chawla and Omar.

Commenting on the attempt, Apurv Nagpal, MD, Saregama India Ltd, says “We are extremely happy with this development. We are attempting to enter the Limca Book of Records. The Radio City network had selected the song after it got numerous requests from the listeners to air the song. This is the first time a bollywood film track has been repeated on radio the same is a record by itself.  In fact a team from Limca Book of Records will be monitoring the air play at Radio City.



The song ‘Call Me Dil’ has been a rage with the youth. Not only this particular song but in totality the music of Jhootha Hi Sahi is extremely fresh and melodious. The music has got great reviews and tops the list of all chart busters.

Says  Apurva Purohit, CEO, Radio City 91.1 FM “Radio City has set benchmarks in innovation. This film song promotion is a unique offering to cater to the listeners choice of popular music. We believe that this offering would now change the way new film music is promoted on the medium.”

Call Me Dil - Jhootha Hi Sahi - Bollywood Movie Limca Book of Record 2011

Microsoft Dominoes enter in to Limca Book of Records India

The fall of a chip sets off a cascading effect. As the chips lined up in formations fall, a wave is created and vibrant colour pattern emerges. It was not a mean task at Microsoft's Hyderabad Centre. The falling chips made a dazzling display of the logo of Windows 7, the operating system made available on October 22 last year.

This was the way a team of 22 Microsoft employees celebrated the first anniversary of the general availability of Windows 7 and the effort enabled Microsoft storm into the Limca Book of Records for the first ever dominoes display of its kind in India. The Microsoft Dominoes effect required 7,000 wooden dominoes, each weighting 12 gm and placed barely 0.2 inches apart sidewise and 0.5 inches lengthwise to create the logo.

“Placing each domino took an average of three seconds a person. We were extremely tense and knew that a small mistake would cost us 20-30 minutes of effort. To our relief, the event went off really well, with over 1,000 employees witnessing the chips fall from all around the atrium floors and create a dazzling display of the Windows 7 logo. It was seamless!” said team member Tanvi Ritwik.

The idea of organising a domino display was generated in a brainstorming session of Microsoft employees of Windows & Windows Live Group at Microsoft India Development Center that had worked on some key features of the Operating System. The team, led by Archis Gore, spent nearly 1056 hours (from planning to the culmination of the event). The effort required the same precision engineering and team work that product development does.

A Microsoft release quoted Limca Book of Records Editor Vijaya Ghose as saying: “This is the first ever display of dominoes in India and is a symbolisation of perfect coordination and exceptional synergy among team members.”

World's Shortest Man Guinness World Records 2011 set by Khagendra Thapa Magar

Vittoriosa residents lit their way into the Guinness Book of Records on Saturday, when “well over” 10,000 candles created a magical atmosphere in the historic maritime city to break the record for illuminations by candlelight.

“We’ve made it,” mayor John Boxall exclaimed yesterday, after receiving confirmation from Guinness Book of Records officials, who were roaming the city’s streets on Saturday to gauge the number of flickering lights.

Vittoriosa residents lit up their narrow winding streets, homes, squares and bastions using thousands of candles, as well as fjakkoli, giving an enchanting aura to the centuries-old city.

The exact number of candles has not been confirmed as the officials were still scrutinising information, but according to the mayor, the total was substantially over the 10,000 needed.

The three-day dockyard town festival was a big success, according to the mayor, “even though the elements were against us”.

Although the weekend downpours affected attendance, hundreds of people still turned up. It was also a logistical nightmare for the organisers, who had to take out their torches and candles at the last minute to avoid them getting wet.

The fifth edition of the festival was organised by the Vittoriosa local council and featured numerous activities with historic re-enactments, exhibitions, music, food and drink and of course the unique candle-lit atmosphere.

Worlds Largest Virgin Mary Mural Painting in World Record Book

Suzanne Kraus-Mancuso, has been a member of the Grace Lutheran Church in Yorktown for 24 years. She had gotten married to her husband Joseph and had their daughter Katlynn, 15, baptized there.

Now the church is trying to pay off its $150,000 mortgage and Mancuso said she wanted to help.

On October 2 she completed her 100 feet, 10 feet wide, 1000 square feet "Mural of Hope" painting of Virgin Mary, in hopes to set the world record with the largest painting of its kind. She said there has been no record of a Virgin Mary painting in that size.

The money that would be raised after eventually auctioning off the painting would help pay for some of the church's mortgage.

For the painting, Mancuso went through 10 to 12 gallons of latex and household paints using brooms, mops and big brushes. It was a single artist painting, but friends and family helped pour the paint, set up and put things away.

Currently the painting is rolled up in a storage in the woman's basement in her Putnam Valley home. On Monday, she said she formally submitted her receipts to the World's Records Academy for a review. She said in less than a month she could find out if her painting had officially set a world record.

"I wanted to leave my mark first," she said of the fact that she would the first person to do such a painting.

She said that even if someone else makes a larger one in the future, she would always be the first one. Members of the World's Records Academy have not given her any indication that someone had been trying to paint such a large mural of Virgin Mary.

"I try my hands at different things, but art is where I can be the most creative," Mancuso said.

Mancuso is also a writer. She has published two books on Shirley Temple, Shirley Temple Identification and Price Guide in Volume 1 and 2, which were on the New York Times bestseller list.

She has also been involved with painting doll faces at the Yorktown Museum. She said she got the idea to paint a large mural after a fellow artist Jennifer Beinhacker joking told her to paint a large mural for a world record. That's when Mancuso thought of the church as a way to give back.

World's Luckiest Baby Born on 10.10.10 at 10:10 and 10 Seconds - Amazing Records

The tenth day of the tenth month of the year 2010 has special meaning for a Sugar Grove family.

For many, Sunday's date held special significance. Churches and chapels say the symmetrical date was a sought after one for weddings and events. Chicago Marathon organizers claimed 10-10-10 was the "date to motivate". But for a family from far west suburban Sugar Grove, Sunday was a perfect ten for just one reason.

"It just happened, just like that!" Autumn Henze said of her baby boy, Nathaniel David Henze, who was born at 10:10 p.m. on 10-10-10. Baby Nathaniel's already got a thing for numbers.

"He was ready to come out on that day on that time. He wanted to be a superstar! He really did."

Autumn says she didn't think twice when many months ago her doctor projected a due date of October 10th. But as the date approached she started to think it had a nice to ring to it. And like clockwork synced to calendar, she went into labor Sunday morning. She arrived at Edward Hospital in Naperville a full 12 hours before delivery.

It was until Nathaniel popped his little head into this world that his dad looked at the clock.

"He looked up and noticed it first. He said it was 10:10 on 10/10/10 and was very excited. That's when I realized it also," said Dr. Scott Kagan, Edward Hospital.

"Nobody will ever forget his birthday is on that day. It's just as memorable as having a baby on New Year's or Valentine's," said Autumn.

The doc says no special drugs or stalling techniques were used to hit the chronological equivalent of a bulls-eye. Bt everyone is happy this baby was born on that minute of that of hour on that day. And they're also thrilled with another series of tens that Nathaniel can call his own.

"And he has ten toes and ten fingers and that's a good thing to!" said Autumn.

Mom and baby didn't manage a tri-fecta; Nathaniel weighed in at less than 10 pounds.

Amazing Records Video - Naperville Baby Born on 10.10.10 at 10:10

World Oldest Student World Record set by Freedom Fighter Bholaram Das

A teacher, a lawyer, a judge and now back to being a student - 100-year-old Bholaram Das has just enrolled for his doctorate, perhaps becoming India's oldest university student .

Das has got admission in a PhD programme at the Gauhati University in Assam - an announcement he made at a public function organised by his family and friends to mark his 100th birthday Saturday.

"There is no age limit for acquiring knowledge," Das said with a smile, dressed nattily in a brown suit and tie.

And the subject for his doctorate is as interesting as the man himself -- the role of his native village Bohori in Barpeta district in western Assam in the spread of neo-Vaishnavite movement, an egalitarian stream of Hinduism, propagated by Sankardeva.

Das was jailed when he was just 19 during the freedom movement against British rule. He spent two months in prison before he graduated in the commerce stream and later went to study law.

"I had a very fulfilling 100 years, having been a teacher, dabbled with politics by joining the Congress party way back in 1945, became a lawyer, then a magistrate, and retired as a judge in 1971," Das said.

The centenarian's zeal to get a PhD degree has stunned many.

"It is indeed heartening to find people like Bholaram Das in today's world and I am of the firm belief that he should stand out as a role model for the generation next," Governor J.B. Patnaik, who is also the chancellor of Gauhati University, told IANS.

"A 100-year-old student is indeed a rarity anywhere in the world," said Gauhati University Vice Chancellor Okhil Kumar Medhi.

Aided by a walking stick, Das is still agile and loves watching cricket matches on television, besides being an avid reader.

With five sons and a daughter, 10 grandchildren, and a great-grandchild, Das is a contented man.

"I love to smile and be happy always," Das said as he slipped into his study.