The Popcorn Stand: There are records and then there are really records


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Those of you who choose to read this Popcorn Stand know my fascination with weird and wild Guinness World records.

I came across three incredibly impressive world records thanks to this NBC News website.

First there was Thunder Law of the Harlem Globetrotters blowing me away by setting the world record by making a shot in the tallest basket ever. First, I’m really impressed the guy calls himself Thunder Law.

But with one hand, he threw an underhanded shot way up in the air and it bounced off the front rim and into the basket that was situated 50 feet, 1 inch off the ground. Now if Thunder Law can slam dunk a basket into a hoop that’s 50 feet high, I’ll really be impressed.

As amazing as that was I thought the next record I saw was even more amazing even though again I have no idea how people think up these things. The Anastasina brothers set the world record for most Risley flips in 30 seconds, doing more than one a second, finishing with 32.

Basically the one brother would lie on his back at an angle and flip the other brother with his feet and amazingly the other brother completed 32 backflips in 30 seconds.

Then there’s the British inventor Richard Browning, who set the world record for going the fastest in a jetpack at more than 32 mph. The guy was flying, literally and figuratively speaking.

Now if two people can do 32 backflips using their feet while flying a jetpack 32 mph — and sink a basket in a hoop 50 feet high, that would be really something.

— Charles Whisnand