Governor Cuomo doesn't want you buying dinky fireworks, but he's okay with Nik Wallenda crossing Niagara Falls on a tightrope. While vetoing a bill that would have legalized sparklers and other fireworks for five year olds, CityRoom reports that Cuomo signed a bill that excepts Wallenda—the seventh generation of the famous Flying Wallendas—from rules prohibiting stunts on the American side of the falls. Wallenda plans on walking over the falls next summer. more ›

Queens magician Richie Magic decided to skip past the vaguely creepy vibe that many in his profession put out and go all the way to full-on terrifying for a "trick" he pulled at his Elmhurst shop yesterday. Magic, who changed his name to pursue his dream after working as a corrections officer for 26 years, yesterday celebrated smoking his final cigarette by eating an entire carton in 6 minutes, 3.7 seconds, breaking a previous record. Magic, whose website claims his shows range from "mild to wild" said that his habit had nagged at him since "a lot of kids ask me to mentor them" and the News says he did not want to be "a hypocrite to aspiring magicians and street performers." Richie's wife Barbara (yes, also Magic) also butted out her final smoke yesterday, although she said she couldn't watch her husband's stunt. A 9-year-old girl who recently saw Richie Magic set the record for stuffing 20 lit cigarettes in his mouth in 29 seconds said, "It was cool. But disgusting." more ›

If you think you have a quantifiable talent, The Universal Record Database is totally for you. Even if you don't have a talent, you can still come up with one for the URDB. Several individuals did that just last night at a gathering in Chinatown. more ›

The most expensive dessert in the world (pictured) used to be the $14,500 “Fortress Aquamarine” served at a luxury resort in Sri Lanka. But today Sri Lankans can choke on their gilded shame, for the Upper East Side’s Serendipity 3 has put America back on top with a $25,000 triumph called the Frrrozen [sic] Haute Chocolate. Break out your giant diamond-encrusted foam fingers, because the Guinness Book of World Records will now list this as... more ›

(No matter what your mode of conveyance, we hope your Memorial Day Weekend is an excellent one and that you ride or drive safely. We will be here, offering fresh content throughout the weekend.) more ›

- The total waiting time was 6 hours, 45 minutes, 46 seconds more ›

Some high school reunions spurs thoughts of regret and schadenfreude. The 10 year high school reunion for some Regis High School alums prompted a group of classmates to attempt to ride break the record for fastest ride through the NYC subway system. Stefan Karpinski, Andrew Weir, Bill Amaosa, Jason Laska, Michael Boyle and Brian Brockmeyer teamed up to ride the subways starting yesterday afternoon at Rockaway Park station, and should be ending around 3PM or 4PM at the 241st Street stop in the Bronx, if they're on track (hee!). In order to break the record, they must stop at all 468 stations in under 26 hours, 21 minutes and 8 seconds. more ›

- Suddenly under a storm of bullets, a 13-year-old Brooklyn boy threw himself over a 10-year-old girl in an attempt to keep her safe (he got shot twice in the back, she was hit on the arms). The kids, who were getting their hair braided on a stoop at 2 a.m. when the shooting occurred, are in stable condition and security tapes are being reviewed. more ›

Will the real Neil Diamond please step forward?
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Brilliant! It seems that Snapple wanted to break some Guinness Book of World Records record by having the largest popsicle EVER and decided that Union Square would be the place to do it. Except the popsicle melted, with juice going everyone, causing all sorts of commotions, from bikers falling to the police and fire departments being called in to handle the situation. Bucky from Animal magazine emailed us, "In a promotion gone bad there is snapple juice all over the street near union square. cops were called fire department on the way. The street smells, people are falling. I can see the headline: First they take our schools, now our streets." more ›

More pictures at Carvel and Gothamist on the promotional stunt yesterday. more ›

A village in Russia wants to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records with the biggest salad ever, with a "concoction of cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs...expected to weigh in at 2,600 kilograms (5,720 pounds)." The Reuters report also added that spoons the size of human beings (why not have human beings in plastic suits walk around the salad) were mixing the salad and that the current world salad record is a 1,363-kilogram vegetable salad from Poland.
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This Sunday, the Unbelievable Show tries to break the Guiness Book of World Records record for the world's largest picnic. Go to Bryant Park at noon, with two food items and a drink, and meet other picnickers and record-breakers. Bring a canned good to donate to City Harvest while you're at it. Also, "Local Hawaiian/Western Swing/Hot Jazz band" Hulabilly will be performing. more ›