DAVID ADAMS looks at the odder side of life…
• It was a symbolic moment when 84-year-old Jane Malysiak received her first COVID-19 vaccine with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in attendance – marred only when an accidental obscene gesture went out live on TV. Following her vaccination, Morrison encouraged Malysiak to make the peace sign – a “V for vaccine” – for the cameras. But when she did, Malysiak had her hand turned the wrong way, instead making what’s usually interpreted as an obscene gesture. Laughter ensued and Morrison is seen on the video quickly pushing down Malysiak’s hand, saying that her hand should always be “always front” when making the sign. In a further embarrassment, Malysiak later said in an interview that she hadn’t recognised the PM when they met.
• A 141-year-old home in the US city of San Francisco went for a walk the other day. The sizeable two storey property was actually towed about six blocks using hydraulic dollies in an six hour relocation operation. Trees were trimmed and street signs and parking meters temporarily relocated to accommodate the home’s passing in what was reportedly the first operation of its kind in the city in 45 years. It wasn’t without incident – the home apparently did hit a light pole and a couple of trees on its journey. And then there was the $US400,000 price tag for the move. The house will be transformed into single family units with more housing to be built on its former location.
• A 40,000 piece jigsaw puzzle probably sounds like a nightmare or a delight, depending on your perspective. For 24-year-old Canadian Maxine Olive, completing the 40,320 piece puzzle as fast as she could represented the chance at a world record. Olive, of Belleville, Ontario, reportedly completed the puzzle depicting various characters from Disney movies in just 150 hours, working around 16 hours a day on it, and has now applied for her feat, which was livestreamed, to be recognised by Guinness World Records. The Ravensburger ‘Memorable Disney Moments’ puzzle, which covers about 13 square metres and comes with an estimated completion time of 600 hours, already holds a Guinness World Record for the largest commercially available jigsaw puzzle. The previous record time for its completion was 423 hours by a man in the US.
