DAVID ADAMS writes about the odder side of life…
• A US church has attempted to set a new Guinness World Record for the longest “hug relay”. Hundreds turned out to join in the attempt at Asbury First Methodist Church in the New York town of Rochester earlier this month but they sadly fell short of the 1,300 people they were hoping for. Minister Stephen Cady told Spectrum News that the effort came about as a way to bring divided people together and, despite the fact the record wasn’t broken, he says the event was nonetheless a success: “[I]t’s standing in a divided world and spreading the love”. It’s not the first time the church has been the location for an attempt to set a new record – last year more than 600 people attempted to break the record for the most people playing hopscotch at the same time.
Seagull stand-off. PICTURE: Phil Botha/Unsplash
• It’s true – giving a seagull the ‘evil eye’ can stop them stealing your fish and chips. Researchers at the UK’s University of Exeter say their study shows that herring gulls took 21 seconds longer to approach a bag of chips when stared at compared with when left unobserved. Most of the 74 initial test subjects flew away or would not approach the chips but 19 completed the “looking at” and “looking away” tests, according to the researchers who added that more study is needed to find out why staring worked as a theft preventative. “We didn’t examine why individual gulls were so different – it might be because of differences in ‘personality’ and some might have had positive experiences of being fed by humans in the past – but it seems that a couple of very bold gulls might ruin the reputation of the rest,” said lead author Madeleine Goumas, of the university’s Centre for Ecology and Conservation.
• A US restaurant chain is seeking a “bacon intern” to taste test its bacon for a day (and earn $US1,000 doing so). In the latest promotional effort involving the offer of an unusual job, Farmer Boys are asking applicants, who must be over 18, to post a photo or video in their personal Instagram account which explains why they’d be the best fit for the job along with the hashtag #FarmerBoysBaconIntern. Submissions close on 20th August.
