Interesting & funny news from around the world, Интересные и забавные новости со всего мира

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Ontario student builds world's smallest arcade machine

An Ontario, Canada, college student constructed what is believed to be the world's smallest arcade machine, measuring just 2.5 inches tall.

Victoria Korhonen, an electromechanical engineering student at Fanshawe College, unveiled her creation Tuesday: a machine measuring 2.5 inches tall, 1 inch wide and 1.3 inches long.

The working arcade machine runs the classic game Pong.

Korhonen's machine was officially measured by Fanshawe College civil engineering Professor Matt Carson in the hopes of capturing a Guinness World Record for the smallest arcade machine.

"I decided to look at smaller records that I could beat and found the arcade machine and completely fell in love with the design," Korhonen told CBC News. "Size is definitely something that is cool to me, to have the smallest something."

Korhonen was previously part of a high school team that broke the Guinness World Record for the longest selfie stick.

Evidence from Tuesday's official measuring must now be reviewed by the record-keeping organization to see if Korhonen has a second title to her name.

"I wanted one where I had the certificate in my name where I could frame it, so that was the goal," Korhonen said.

The current record is held by North Carolina man Jonathan Charles, whose Space Invaders game was measured in 2018 at 2.61 inches tall, 1.32 inches long and 1.17 inches wide.

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British brothers amass world's largest collection of Pokémon cards

A pair of British brothers earned a Guinness World Record for their collection of 48,339 different Pokémon cards.

Pokémon Trading Card game superfans Owen and Conner Gray took the record for the largest collection of Pokémon cards from Benjamin DeGuire, whose collection was tallied at 34,310 in 2023.

"The slogan is 'gotta catch 'em all' and that's what we've tried to do," Owen Gray told Guinness World Records.

The Gray brothers' 48,339 cards come from several different countries and are printed in multiple different languages.

"We have all of them bar the Dutch language. That became impossible for us to find," Conner said.

"Anyone with any Dutch first edition, let us know," Owen added.

The siblings said one of their most fortuitous finds came when they bought some bags full of cards that had been found in an attic.

"There were probably about 3-4,000 cards just thrown into JD Sports bags and in that combination were two gold star Charizards, which today are worth anywhere between £5-25,000 [$6,350-$31,751] each," Owen said. "They weren't in bad condition at all."

Conner offered some tongue-in-cheek advice for other aspiring Pokémon collectors, urging them to "save their money."

The brothers are now taking their cards on a tour of U.S. collector shows scheduled for the next year.

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510-pound black bear breaks state record in Mississippi

Wildlife officials in Mississippi said researchers trapped and tagged a 510-pound bear that is officially the largest ever documented in the state.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks said researchers with its Black Bear Program have been trapping bears in the state and outfitting them with GPS collars for tracking.

Anthony Ballard, the MDWFP Black Bear Program coordinator, trapped a bear known as M18 and was shocked when the bruin weighed in at a record-breaking 510 pounds.

"After it was all over, you got time to look at him and it was like, 'Man, this is a big bear,'" Ballard told the Clarion Ledger newspaper.

M18 was first collared in August 2022, when he weighed a comparatively petite 360 pounds. The MDWFP said the bear was able to slip out of his tracking collar shortly after his first capture.

The previous heaviest bear identified in the state was a 468-pound bear found dead at the side of a Wilkinson County road.

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Driver stopped in Wyoming for covering car in Christmas lights

Police in Wyoming are reminding residents to decorate their homes for Christmas instead of their vehicles after a driver was pulled over with their car illuminated by festive lights.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol shared a photo on social media showing a Ford Mustang pulled over by a trooper who noticed the entire vehicle was decked out in colorful lights for the holidays.

"As the holiday season approaches, we would like to remind you of a Wyoming statute," the post said.

The statute in question states that "no person shall drive or move any vehicle or equipment upon any highway with any lamp or device thereon capable of displaying a red or blue light visible from directly in front of the center thereof."

The post said that while decorating a car "might look cool and be festive, we would to remind you that it is illegal. Please remember to stay safe when celebrating this season!"

In an interview with Cowboy State Daily, WHP Trooper Jason Simmer explained that Christmas lights emblazoned on a vehicle are not only a distraction.

They also interfere with depth perception.

“If you have all those Christmas lights on, and you are braking because there’s some type of emergency in front of you, and other motorists can’t tell because of the amount of lights on the vehicle," Simmer said.

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Zoo director dons ostrich costume for surprise escape drill

An Australian zoo shared video from a surprise animal escape drill featuring the zoo's director playing the part of a fugitive cassowary.

Rockhampton Councilor for Parks, Sport and Public Spaces Cherie Rutherford said the drill at Rockhampton Zoo was the first to take place during operating hours, with guests present.

"This year's training was the first live experience and an opportunity for staff to put their training into practice," Rutherford said in a news release. "The exercise was kept a complete surprise, with staff only realizing it was a drill after it began. It was also a surprise to zoo-goers on the day who were able to see the training in action, with some even getting to take part."

The drill featured Rockhampton Zoo Director Liz Bellward portraying the escaped animal in an ostrich costume.

"Unfortunately, you can't buy a cassowary Halloween costume," the zoo explained in a Facebook post.

"The team communicated effectively and worked well together to bring the cassowary safely back to its enclosure," the post said.

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'Injured' falcon gets loose inside officer's patrol car in Arizona

A seemingly injured falcon was rescued by an animal control officer in Arizona, but regained some of its strength during transport and escaped onto the officer's dashboard.

The Mojave County Sheriff's Office said an animal control officer responded to a location in Littlefield where area workers had spotted a falcon they suspected to have a broken wing.

The officer "relocated the falcon to a cardboard box and placed the box on the passenger seat of his patrol unit," the sheriff's office wrote on social media. "A call was made to a local vet who informed officers it appeared the bird had a wing injury and SHOULDN'T be able to fly."

The post said the veterinarian's appraisal was "incorrect," as the bird demonstrated its ability to fly mere moments later.

"The bird flew out of the box and onto Officers Cobb's dash, where it paced back and forth hissing at poor Officer Cobb," the post said.

The raptor eventually "calmed down" and was taken to a rescue in Hurricane, Utah, for rehabilitation.

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Lost lunchbox found at Virginia school after 42 years

A plumber working at a Virginia elementary school made a startling discovery: a Heathcliff lunchbox lost by a student more than 40 years earlier.

Roanoke City Public Schools said in a Facebook post that a plumber was doing maintenance at Fairview Elementary School and came across a metal lunchbox bearing images of the orange cartoon cat.

"Inside, we found a thermos that still smells like hot chocolate, an adorable drawing, and a tag with the student's name: Tracy Drain, who appears to have been in Mrs. Curry's class in Room 30," district officials wrote. "The lunchbox appears to have been made in the early 1980s."

The post eventually came to the attention of the correct Tracy Drain, who lost her lunchbox during her 4th grade year in 1982.

"I think it's amazing," Drain told WDBJ-TV. "If I would've been the person that found it, I would've put it on eBay, and it's finders keepers, losers weepers. But it's very interesting to be able to see it. As far as remembering it, I do not, but it has my mom's handwriting, which I'll treasure right here."

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Jennifer Lopez earned 'Unstoppable' subject's trust

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16 (UPI) — Jennifer Lopez plays Judy Robles in Unstoppable, in theaters Friday, and inspired by the true story of her son, Anthony Robles, who was born without his right leg but nevertheless became a college wrestling champion.

"My main goal in the first meeting was to make her really comfortable," Lopez, 55, said at a Q&A after a screening of the film, adding that she wanted Robles to "know that she could trust me - that she could share things with me."

Lopez said she asked Robles about her son from the time she was born and their lives. She said she used many of those answers in her performance.

"I was only going to use things that, one, she felt comfortable with, but also that I thought would contribute to telling her part of the story," Lopez said.

Robles said it felt vulnerable and overwhelming to have a celebrity like Lopez play her, adding that the trust they built made it easier to watch her life on screen, and she found Lopez's portrayal authentic.

"The sadness was definitely there but there was also the joy and the bond that my son and I share," Robles said. "I saw the joy. Jennifer cared about that."

The Robleses struggle financially to pay for Anthony to attend Arizona State University, for whom he wrestles. They live with Robles' husband, Rick (Bobby Cannavale), who is abusive and gets them into further financial trouble before Judy and Rick ultimately divorced in real life.

"We found our strength in all that pain," Judy Robles said.

Anthony Robles, 36, credits his mother with teaching him that anything is possible despite life's setbacks. He appears in the film as the wrestling double for actor Jharrel Jerome, who plays him in the rest of the film.

"When I was born, immediately the world saw me for what I didn't have, for what would hold me back and for what I couldn't do," Anthony Robles said. "She didn't think that way. She taught me to focus on what I was capable of — on my strengths."

When Lopez saw Judy and Anthony Robles together, it further aided her performance. Lopez said she understood why Judy Robles presented her son with her most affirming side.

"We bonded on being moms obviously and wanting the best for our children," Lopez said. "Also struggling in our personal lives, the way that you have to hide that from your children sometimes, all the emotions that you have as a mom."

Anthony Robles helped train Jerome with his own coach, Brian Stith, for seven months. Jerome said working so closely with Anthony Robles helped his performance, too.

"It's impossible to spend so much time with Anthony and not adopt such a grit - the work ethic, unlimited mentality and the 'yes-I-can' attitude," Jerome, 27, said.

Anthony Robles' motivational coaching made an impact on Lopez, too. The megastar actor and recording artist found inspiration in Judy Robles' ability to pick herself back up from setbacks, she said.

"What unstoppable means to me is falling down and always getting back up," Lopez said. "There's not going to be a thing or life where you're not going to fall down. It's just do you stop or not?"

Judy Robles said she found the strength to keep going in her children and God. She has four other children with Rick Robles.

"Being married for 20 years, trying and trying and trying, feeling like a failure I guess when that ended, that doesn't define me," Judy Robles said. "We kept going together. We supported one another."

Watching Unstoppable for the first time at its Toronto International Film Festival premiere made Anthony Robles tear up, he said. Now, he feels the movie serves as a testament to his family's perseverance.

"It was all worth it to be here today," Anthony Robles said. "This is our family legacy right here."

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Sky Elements Sets Guinness World Record with 5,000-Drone Gingerbread Village Holiday Show

Sky Elements, the largest drone show company in the U.S., has been racking up world records for some time now, but its most recent record comes with a big helping of holiday cheer.

Recently, the company set a new Guinness World Record title for the largest aerial display of a gingerbread village made out of drones. The festive display was part of a combined Thanksgiving/Christmas drone show the company presented on Nov. 27 in the skies over Mansfield, Texas.

The record-setting drone formation far exceeded the minimum number of 1,000 UAVs needed to establish the record, with the display encompassing a total of 4,981 drones, said Tyler Kubicz, Sky Elements production manager

“We wanted to bring in the holidays with a new drone light show. It starts off with a giant 5,000-drone turkey and kind of goes into a giant wintry village, and that turns into this giant gingerbread village,” Kubicz said.

Sky Elements’ graphics team began work several weeks in advance of the show on the preliminary job of designing the complex patterns that would result in the dazzling images in the sky. In order to stage a typical show — involving anywhere from 100 or 150 drones all the way up to 5,000 drones — would usually require the company to put in between 40 and 60 hours of prep work.

Once the mockups for the display were approved, they were handed off to Sky Elements’ in-house team of animators to create the programs to bring the images envisioned in the mockups to life.

The stars of the show were UVify’s high-performance IFO choreography swarm drones, equipped with quad-constellation navigation systems. Performing together, the UAVs are capable of flying the intricate flight patterns necessary to create a high-resolution drone show.

A Guinness World Record adjudicator was on hand to physically count every drone that was in the show to ensure that the show resulted in a legitimate world record. “With our software, it’s very easy for him to see what is working, what is not working, what takes off, what doesn’t take off.

The Mansfield show marked the company’s 11th world record performance.

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Movie review: 'The Brutalist' an epic testament to work ethic

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16 (UPI) — At 3 hours, 35 minutes, The Brutalist, in theaters Friday, uses the historical epic genre to showcase the benefits and sacrifices of work and craft. Though centered around architecture, the themes are universal.

László Tóth (Adrien Brody) escapes Holocaust-era Budapest in the 1940s after being forcibly separated from wife, Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), and niece Zsófia (Raffey Cassidy). Erzsébet writes letters to László until she can join him.

An acclaimed architect in Hungary, László gets work with his cousin, Attila (Alessandro Nivola). Designing a library for Harry Van Buren's (Joe Alywn) father, Harrison (Guy Pearce), leads Lászlóto a major project that dominates the bulk of his life in the United States.

Whether designing furniture, a private library or the massive Van Buren Center, László approaches every project with a commitment to excellence. Good work begets more opportunities, proving there are no small projects.

The Van Buren Center requires more collaboration and supervision, which brings with it setbacks that require compromise. Ultimately, Harrison makes the decisions because he controls the money, no matter how much he respects László as an artist.

The film showcases what is great about László's designs. His library shelves unfold from the walls and his plans for the Van Buren Center are visionary in model form long before they are completed.

The Brutalist also shows the hardships independent businessmen face. László got Atilla more money for the library project, but is blamed when the client reneges on paying, something to which any freelancer can relate.

That specific setback foreshadows the sorts of issues with which László will have to deal on a grander scale in his larger projects.

The film also is honest that work is not enough for a complete life, no matter how great the masterpiece. László needs his family, a community and safety.

László remains loyal to Gordon (Isaach De Bankolé), whom he met in a food bank line upon his arrival in the United States. He pays his success forward by hiring Gordon on his projects, exemplifying yet another positive aspect of work ethic.

Anti-Semitism is an aspect of the United States of the '40s through '60s that The Brutalist covers. Director Brady Corbet, who wrote the script with Mona Fastvold, avoids obvious depictions of prejudice.

Instead, The Brutalist depicts anti-Semitism in its true subtle, insidious forms. It simmers throughout László's interactions so that it wears on him by the film's second half.

Sexual violence also is characteristic of the times. Corbet and Fastvold handle it without being graphic, but it is clear what the Tóths face.

The movie is filmed in 70mm, and screenings in this format showcase how glorious the period piece can look when using classic cinematic techniques. Though it will screen in modern digital theaters, too, the opportunity to see it in 70mm is worth seeking.

The image is bright and sharp. Lest viewers take it for granted, montages incorporate stock footage (and even one VHS sequence in a 1980-set epilogue), to ensure the 70mm stands out when the film returns to the newly filmed footage.

Don't let the specificity of the subject matter or its length be a deterrent to seeing The Brutalist. The film showcases the human experience as much as historical epics like Dances with Wolves or The Pianist, which also features Brody.

Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001, and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012 and the Critics Choice Association since 2023. Read more of his work in Entertainment.

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