DAVID ADAMS provides a round-up of some stories on the odder side of life…
People dressed as Spider-Man attend a Spider-Man cosplayers’ gathering, in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people dressed as Spider-Man, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 29th October, 2023. PICTURE: Reuters/Cristina Sille
• Some 1,000 people gathered at a major monument in Argentina’s capital on Sunday dressed as Spider-Man, aiming to break a world record for the most people dressed as the famous Marvel superhero at a single public event. Argentine influencer Uki Deane organised the gathering via Instagram, aiming to outdo an event in June in Malaysia where 685 people dressed as Spider-Man. Deane said he was confident of obtaining the Guinness World Records title with the turnout in Buenos Aires at the famous obelisk monument, where the crowd was a sea of skin-tight blue costumes and red masks. “I wanted to summon 700 people and from our counting, we are many more. We have more than 1,000 signatures,” he told reporters at the event. “It’s crazy what Spider-Man causes, it gives me enormous joy,” the 33-year-old added. Guinness World Records did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The organisers asked participants to provide signatures and have their photo taken as documentation to provide to the record-keeping group. The superhero look-alikes dressed as the character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko clapped and sang with good cheer during the sunny afternoon. One participant complemented the Spider-Man costume with the blue-and-white striped Argentine soccer jersey, while another wore a business suit with a red tie that matched the superhero mask. Juan Menchon, a 25-year-old soccer coach, said he felt empowered by the Spider-Man outfit. “I’m very shy and the mask gives me a lot of freedom to have my say and express myself,” he said. Others agreed with the costume’s transformative powers. Matias Cones, 18, noted: “As Stan Lee says, anyone can put on the mask.” – CANDELARIA GRIMBERG, Buenos Aires, Argentina/Reuters.
• A Spanish Duke has reportedly been told he cannot name is daughter what he wishes because his chosen name is just too long. The 17th Duke of Huescar, Fernando Fitz-James Stuart, wanted to call his daughter Sofia Fernanda Dolores Cayetana Teresa Angela de la Cruz Micaela del Santisimo Sacramento del Perpetuo Socorro de la Santisima Trinidad y de Todos Los Santos but, according to a report in El Pais, was told that he had to significantly shorten it if he wanted it legally registered. Register rules mean names given to children must not exceed more than “one compound name” and “two simple ones”. The name was reportedly a tribute to the deceased Duchess of Alba as well as other members of the family and religious figures. – DAVID ADAMS
• Earl, a half-blind kelpie from Tasmania, has been named the “best working dog” in Australia and New Zealand. The Cobber Challenge uses GPS collars to track the distance, duration and speed that dogs in Australia and New Zealand clock up over a three week period. It awarded the title to Earl after he recorded an average speed of 14.1 kph, covering a distance of some 1343.3 kilometres over the period. Owner Alex Jones told the ABC the three-year-old hound was “switched on”. “He’s one of those dogs, he trains himself, looks after himself and he’s pretty handy”. Earl’s days involve working with some 50,000 sheep and 4,500 cattle in the island state’s Fingal Valley. Kellie Savage, Cobber Challenge coordinator, told the ABC: “Most dogs run one marathon a day, but to knock out nearly two marathons a day is truly an amazing feat and it was really consistent over the three weeks of data that they submitted.” – DAVID ADAMS
