Most argumentative person

The most argumentative person in the world was Alexei Shamunshumovich, who lived in Leningrad in the former USSR. Over the course of his 46 years, he challenged the details on his Birth Certificate 22 times, going so far as to charge his parents with fraud on 7 occasions. 

He only ever worked as a mechanic, despite his supervisor trying unsuccessfully to have him fired 9 times, because he argued so much that he rarely got any work done. He argued so vociferously at every attempt to fire him, that he was never actually fired, although he also argued passionately that his supervisor was wrong to take him back every time. 

He was sentenced to death in 1956 when he jumped onto the podium at an official Communist Party rally, in order to insist that Lenin was not in fact the father of Communism, but was an Algerian carrot vendor, insisting, “Anyone who cannot see that I am right is a Menshevik War Criminal!” 

Although he had his sentence of Death by Firing Squad commuted at the last moment, he successfully argued that allowing him to live would send out the wrong message, and so was promptly executed.

A photo of Shamunshumovich, aged 25, on show in Moscow as a tribute to 'dissenters everywhere, no matter how pointless.' Photo by rwhgould.

©2009 James Mathurin

Most shameless politician

The world’s most shameless politician is Armando Ciabbatta of Italy. While being interviewed on national television in 1978 on charges of corruption, he reacted to a question he didn’t like by bribing the interviewer, Toni Moccietto while still on camera. When the interviewer refused the money, Ciabbatta demanded, “That’s not enough? Well tough, I’ve been spending too much money buying votes to waste it on the likes of you!”

Toni Moccietto photographed as Armando Ciabbata stormed out of the studio, photographed by robertgaal.

©2009 James Mathurin

Worst ever hiring policy

The worst ever hiring policy of a business was adjudged by the DeToille business school to be that of International Patio Heaters inc. who, during the summer of 1996, only employed people if they had “business-oriented surnames.” They abandoned the policy after one of their deliverymen changed his name from Paul Goodsock to William Outsidethebox and was immediately promoted to Director of Human Resources, whereupon he doubled the salaries of the other deliverymen.

Outsidethebox, née Goodsock, leaving work for the last time, after being sacked for misappropiation of resources. An anonymous source suggested that he had actually been fired for "taking the piss." Photo by Ihuiz.

©2009 James Mathurin

Worst impression ever

The worst impression ever was performed by Darmuid O’Houghlahan, from Derry, Ireland. After being heard doing his self-styled ‘world-famous Elvis Presley impersonation’ in a public house in 1985, he was employed by ITN to use the same voice to dub over speeches by Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein.

Gerry Adams, pictured here in 2004, at the unveiling of O’Houghlahan Street in Derry, named after Darmuid for his continuing charity work in raising awareness of 'Toe Rot'. Photo by albertw

©2009 James Mathurin

Largest collection of old newspapers

The largest collection of old newspapers is owned by Doris Windowell, of Yorkshire, Britain. She has a collection of 95, 000 copies of The Gromville Chronicle, her free local paper. She boasted,

“35, 000 copies are from 11th May, 1936, when my husband, Stan got his picture in there for winning the County gardening fete, 20, 000 are from 19th October 1962, when my son Arthur had his picture printed for winning his school talent competition, 15,000 are in there from 22nd June 1981 when I had my picture printed for having Yorkshire’s biggest collection of newspapers, and 25, 000 are from 3rd July 1981, when my picture was printed for having Britain’s largest collection of newspapers. After that I wasn’t allowed to buy The Chronicle any more.”

Doris pictured in 1981, receiving her award for having Britain's largest collection of newspapers. Picture courtesy of the quinn.anya agency.

©2009 James Mathurin

Most convoluted Rhyming slang

The record for most convoluted example of Rhyming Slang was set by ‘Dodgy’ Danny Phillips at the 2001 Cockney Games in Hackney, London. He constructed a sequence of 92 phrases, which led from “Neo-conservative” to “Polyphonic ring tone.”

‘Dodgy’ Danny Phillips pictured here celebrating his victory, which saw him unseat the encumbent champion Eddie 'Berkshire Hunt' Andrews. Photo by law_keven

©2009 James Mathurin

Fotheringtonistan

The smallest nation in the world is Fotheringtonistan. This tiny nation has no citizens, and is located within the borders of Kenya. It exists as a result of a disputed land contract signed by British explorer, entrepreneur, slave trader, and fish tycoon, Martin Roberts-Roberts-Fotherington, on 11th April 1804. Roberts-Roberts-Fotherington was so outraged when he found out that the contract, which he had re-mortgaged his second-largest Haddock-trawler to pay for, only covered an area comprised of 3.24 square metres on the side of a hill, that he renounced his British citizenship, and declared the patch of land to be an independent republic, upon which he would settle and rule. Unfortunately, his boat sank on the journey to his republic, when it collided with the edge of Africa. His wife, Edith, insisted that the land remain independent, and created both a flag and national anthem for Fotheringtonistan. Despite the family refusing to alter the status of the country, it is not actually recognised by the United Nations or any other country, and has not been retaken by the Kenyan government only because they say it is “useless”.

This fence, photographed in 1974 by TW Angel representes the entire Western border of Fotheringtonistan.

©2009 James Mathurin