DAVID ADAMS provides a round-up of some stories on the odder side of life…
• Find your cat’s purring too loud? Consider the UK family of 14-year-old Bella who was awarded the record for ‘loudest purr by a domestic cat (living)’ after her sounds purring was measured at 54.59 decibels. Guinness World Records, which had an adjudicator measure the sound, likened the sound to similar to that of a kettle boiling and “not too far off” the sound of your washing machine. Owner Nicole Spink, who lives in Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, told Guinness that Bella purrs “all day long”. “If there’s food around, or cuddles, she always purrs. Also when watching TV – she likes to be loud with television. My late husband used to always moan about the sound of her purr blocking the sound of the TV in the evenings.”
Mickey Mouse at Disneyland in Paris. PICTURE: Michele Bergami/Unsplash
• A group of EU lawmakers swapped parliament for Disneyland this week when a train they were on in France was mistakenly diverted there. The MEPs were reportedly headed to Strasbourg, one of the seats for the EU parliament, when the train diverted due to a signalling error at Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle TGV station, according to officials. The MEPs took the opportunity to have a laugh on social media including German MEP Daniel Freund who stated in no uncertain terms on his X account: “We are NOT a Mickey Mouse parliament”. Sadly the officials didn’t get to leave the train at Disneyland before their train continued on to their correct destination. Train operator SNCF said the detour caused only a 45 minute delay in the MEPs trip.
• Further to a story we ran a couple of weeks ago: Dorothy Hoffner, the 104-year-old Chicago woman who jumped from a plane one week ago in what is believed to be a new world record for the oldestskydiver in the world, died on 9th October, according to Skydive Chicago & Parachute Association, local media reported. One week earlier, on Sunday, 1st October, Hoffner left behind her walker to do a 13,500-foot tandem leap from an airplane at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Illinois. “It’s really a wonderful feeling to feel the earth under you,” she said at the time. “When you feel good, you can do these things. Sometimes, you have a fear or scare of doing it, but if you feel good, do it.” – Reuters TV
