Unconventional World Records

The world’s most famous boy’s choir, and probably any choir, and possibly the best choir in the world is the Vienna Boys’ Choir, known for its “exceeding high vocal standards.”

A private, not-for-profit organisation, it has around 100 boys between 10 and 14 years of age. They are then divided into 4 groups which tour the world, performing around 300 concerts yearly to almost half a million people.

As far as I could find out, their only visit to Malaysia was at Genting’s Arena of Stars in October 2004.

It’s entirely made up of sopranos and altos, and as suggested by the name, is based in Vienna, Austria. Many, but not all the boys are Austrian - some are from other countries too.

The choir has worked with some of the world’s greatest ever musicians, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Even some of the members of the choir went on to become world-class musicians, like Franz Schubert.

It had its origins during the Middle Ages, but it was only in 1924 that it was officially founded. Its original role was to give music accompaniment to a church service (mass).

Since then, it had turned into a pro music group. It has its own rehearsal venue and boarding school.

Here’s a video of them in action:

Click here to see the video

After almost 400 years, the Yoon and Shim families of South Korea have made peace.

The feud started in 1614 when the families began burying their ancestors in burial mounds next to each other. So what’s wrong with that: both claiming rights to the same piece of land!

The site is located in Paju, near the border with North Korea, about 40 km north of Seoul.

The following picture shows the graves of the most well-known members of each family: Shim Ji-won (top left) and General Yoon Gwan (bottom right). They are a mere few meters apart, yet separated by a high wall:

In all those years, a few clashes and murders have happened. Even a king’s pleas for help were not entertained.

Formally the peace agreement will be inked March 2008, where the Yoon family gives around 8,000 square meters of land to the other family.

Source
Reuters, 24th Dec 2007

It is one of the most successful duets in Christmas music history, and definitely the most bizarre.

Then, Big Crosby, 73 is Mr White Christmas himself, the most straight-as-a-ruler, mainstream, 1940s whitebread crooning musician of his generation, while David Bowie, 30, the avant-garde “androgynous Ziggy Stardust” & glam rocker is the total opposite: the most offbeat musician of his generation.

The idea to pair the unlikeliest duet ever belongs to Bing Crosby’s Christmas TV Special producers, Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion.

But when the producers asked Bowie to sing “The Little Drummer Boy” on 11th September 1977, a few hours before shooting was sopposed to start, he refused, because he hated the song.

So what did they do? A team of songwriters worked frantically for 75 minutes to create an original melody and lyrics that could be sung together with “The Little Drummer Boy.” They called it “Peace on Earth.” Fortunately, Bowie liked it, and actually SANG it.

With less than an hour of rehearsals, Bowie and Crosby nailed it.

In the following years, from being a cult classic, it became a holiday staple.

It was first released as a single in 1982, and still sells today.

Poignantly, a month after the video shoot, Crosby died of a heart attack. The program was then first on CBS a month later.

Folks, Unconventional World Records wishes you A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Click here to see the video

A Christmas card, poststamped 23rd December 1914 was posted for a Ms Ethel Martin of Oberlin, Kansas.

It was from her cousins in Alma, Nebraska.

After 93 years, it finally arrived at its destination, in perfect shape. Too bad Ms Martin is already dead.

The card in postcard format shows a colour drawing of Santa Claus and a young girl.

The front: [pic source]

The back: [pic source]

As to where it spent the most of the 20th century is still a mystery. Indeed, it’s surprising that it never got thrown away and somehow someone found it and placed it inside another envelope with modern postage for the trip to Oberlin.

The original 1-cent postage stamp, the original cost of postage when it was first sent would not have been enough.

The card is now with Bernice Martin, Ethel’s sister-in-law. After it was featured in the media, she said she’d received calls from as far away as Japan and Iraq, even offers to purchase the card.

Source
CNN, 14th Dec 2007

First, a little bit of comparison between Miss World and Miss Universe.

Miss World: the final is the world’s largest live annual TV event (2 billion in 200 countries), >100 delegates annually. The original, started 1951.

Miss Universe: most popular in the US, approx 80 delegates. Started 1952.

Someone was overheard saying that the Miss Universe pageant is of higher standard because it’s open to the whole universe (i.e. 3 legged green aliens can take part), not just planet Earth.

Anyway, the first Asian to win either Miss World or Miss Universe is Akiko Kojima of Japan, who won Miss Universe in 1959. She was 23 years old.

The second is Apasra Hongsakula of Thailand who was the 1965 Miss Universe. Third is Reita Faria of India who was the 1966 Miss World.

As we all know, almost half a century later Riyo Mori, 20 won it again for Japan.

It’s been a good few years for Japan. Kurara Chibana, 24 finished 2nd at Miss Universe 2006 and Miyako Miyazaki finished 5th at Miss Universe 2003.

source
wikipedia

He’s called Mr Christmas. Obviously Granville Gilbert, 70 is very fond of the Christmas season.

He has not one, but 23 Christmas trees inside his house, ranging from 2 feet to 7 feet tall! There’s at least one tree in every room and each tree has its own theme.

He explains why: “It’s the birthday of Christ and it’s a way of giving him a party. Plus, something in my blood just likes to decorate trees.”

Most of the trees are not real, but this year (2007) he has a real one in the living room. Why only one? “The mess. I got tired of vacuuming up the needles out of the carpet,” he said.

There’s even one upside down Christmas tree.

Source
wjz.com, 17 Dec 2007
Baltimore Style

Apparently there are 2 contenders:

Rolling Stone magazine once called Courtney Love “the most controversial woman in the history of rock.” She has been a delinquent, a stripper, an actor, a drug addict, a rock star, and since 1994, the widow of Kurt Cobain, the Nirvana frontman who committed suicide at the height of his fame.

Courtney Love, 43 [pic source]

When Cobain died, Love was hated by many of Cobain’s fans. In the years of its aftermath, she has been accused of things like: she drove Cobain to suicidal despair and hiring a hitman to kill him.

She received death threats, abuse and even shotgun shells thrown on stage during her concerts.

Then there’s Yoko Ono. To many, she was the reason for The Beatles’ breakup. In the 1960s, it was her abstract and bizarre artwork that attracted the attention of John Lennon. When Ono collaborated with Lennon in 1970 for the Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band project, she was even more avant-garde than Lennon himself.

Yoko Ono, 71 [pic source]

Source
The Guardian UK, December 2006
npr.org

Néstor Kirchner, 57, was the President of Argentina from 2003 until 10th December 2007. That means his wife, Cristina Fernandez, 54 was First Lady during that time.

However, in the October 2007 general election, she ran for President, and duly won with 45.29% of the vote, with a 22% lead over her nearest rival. She is Argentina’s first female president to be elected.

The Kirchners [pic source]

When she was sworn in on 10th December 2007, she became the first wife in history to succeed her husband as a president (”job swapping”). That means her husband is now First Gentleman.

That would mean Kirchner, the 54th Argentine President, is the first ex-president who did not need to move out of the presidential residence even though he is no longer the president.

This feat has enabled the couple to create Argentina’s most powerful political dynasty since Juan and Eva “Evita” Peron. It has also drawn comparisons to former U.S. President Bill Clinton and his wife, presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Source
The Star, 8th Dec 2007

Any kids’ Christmas party would not be complete without a Santa Claus handing out presents. So imagine what would happen if that Santa Claus died while doing his job.

It happened last year at Broughty Castle Bowling Club, Dundee, Scotland.

Andrew Robertson, 82, dressed as Santa Claus / Father Christmas was busy giving away presents to kids at a Christmas party when he felt hot, collapsed and had to be taken to another room in the same building, in full view of the children. At least 2 people tried to revive him, without success and when the medical team arrived, he was pronounced dead.

The late Mr Robertson [pic source]

Apparently, one of the kids asked: “How are we going to get our presents next week if Father Christmas is ill?”

Source
The Sun, 22 December 2006

The Sumazau is a traditional dance of the Kadazans of Sabah. It’s a graceful, beautiful dance and should be performed like this:

But some people have other ideas. At least 2 have been caught on tape performing the worst sumazau dance ever:

Click here to see the videos