Why, set a world record for pullups of course ... from the Scotsman:

A classics graduate is hoping to raise cash for charity today by setting a new world record for the most pull-ups in an hour.

And Mark Knowles has drafted in the formidable pairing of Neil and Christine Hamilton to act as hosts and strict invigilators of his attempt in London this afternoon.

The Cambridge graduate is set to raise over £1,500 for Cancer Research UK by completing more than 400 repetitions in an hour, beating the 1988 record of 370 set by Hong Kong’s Lee Chin-Yong.

He called on the celebrity couple after spotting former MP Neil in Battersea Park, near to their home, and then contacted them via Christine’s website.

Mr Knowles, who is working as a legal writer and plans to join the Metropolitan Police, decided to fundraise following the deaths of family members – including his grandmother and two uncles – from cancer.

His initial target of raising £1,000 in sponsorship was achieved in two weeks, with over £1,500 now raised for the charity and more hoped for on the day.

The 27-year-old from Pimlico, London has been in training for the feat in Battersea Park since the beginning of the year.

He said: “It is very good of them

the Hamiltons]

“There is a gap now having applied for the Metropolitan police and the actual start date, so I just thought I would use the time reasonably productively. It was going to happen at some point, so I thought now was as good a time as any.

“Training has gone pretty well. It will hopefully justify the early mornings and cold nights down at Battersea Park!”

And his celebrity invigilators say they are looking forward to monitoring the attempt.

Self-confessed “battleaxe” Christine said today: “We are hugely looking forward to it.

“I just hope it is good weather – I can’t do a single pull up, my arms aren’t strong enough.

“Neil can do the odd one, so I am deeply impressed by anybody that can do them so effortlessly – the idea of going for an hour!

“We have got very, very strict instructions from the Guinness people about exactly what constitutes a pull-up – he is not to be allowed to to get away with one that is not a full pull-up. We have to be quite careful.

“We just watch closely, time keep and count, and count, and count, and count, and encourage and keep him going.”

Macte esto and all that!

11:36:07 AM    

Some local coverage from Metro West Daily News:

They had names like Odysseus, Hercules and Zeus and they battled with Cyclopes, minotaurs and Poseidon.
 
Senators hailed their names in honor. Now, however, it's another kind of group that speaks those names and it's those speakers who are getting the honor.
 
Twenty-eight third-grade students from the Green Meadow School in Maynard took part in the annual National Mythology Exam given to more than 8,800 students from grades 3 to 9 earlier this year. Of the 527 third grade students to take the test, 33 received perfect scores. Nine of those scores came from Maynard.
 
"That makes us very proud," teacher Judith Johnson said in a press release. "They all devoted much time and effort to extend their understanding of classical literature and are to be commended."
 
In addition to the perfect scores, five earned excellence awards with scores of 97 percent. Another nine scored between 90 and 93, earning Silver Certificates of Recognition.
 
Parent Kathy Jordan, whose son Michael scored a 97, noted the optional class is over and above the children's regular school work.
 
"It was phenomenal when you think about how nine came from little Green Meadow," Jordon said.
 
The test is sponsored by The American Classical League of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. The test features questiond on Greek and Roman gods and goddesses.
 
While Johnson is quick to credit the students in the volunteer class, Jordan says much of the credit belongs with Johnson herself.
 
"It is a 200- to 300-page book they have to study this on their own," Jordan said. "But this teacher deserves a lot of the credit. The teacher knew how to motivate the kids. I didn't have to push my son. He wanted to do it on his own. She made it fun. I don't know how, but she made it fun for the kids."
 
Jordan's sentiments were echoed by parents Mary Moo, whose son Keagan also scored 97, and Marie Kutlowski, who son James was one of the Gold Certificate of Achievement and Gold Medallion (perfect) award winners.
 
"She's done an awesome job with the kids," Moo said. "She has gotten them so interested in mythology. They all passed. A lot scored 97 or better. That's really a remarkable statistic." [more]

11:34:12 AM    

Carlo Natali, Stefano Maso, Plato Physicus. Cosmologia e antropologia nel Timeo.

Everett Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity.

Anthony Corbeill, Nature Embodied. Gesture in Ancient Rome.

Seth L. Schein (trans.), Sophokles: Philoktetes.

Ilaria Ramelli (ed.), Anneo Cornuto. Compendio di teologia greca.

11:27:19 AM    

The weekly version of our Ancient World on Television listings have been posted ...

Explorator 7.07 has also been posted ...

Enjoy!

11:14:50 AM    

7.00 p.m.|DISCU|Building the Impossible
Explore the wide context of the ancient wonders for the modern
world. Revisit the historical significance of the pyramids, Babylon's
hanging gardens, the temple of Artemis, the statue of Zeus, the
Mausoleum, the Colossus and the Pharos of Alexandria.

7.00 p.m.|HINT|Lost Civilizations: Rome: The Ultimate Empire
Sam Waterston narrates this Emmy Award-winning series that sweeps
through 7,000 years of history--from Ancient Mesopotamia to modern-
day Tibet--and transports viewers across the ages using dramatic
reenactments, location footage from 25 countries, and recent
archaeological discoveries to reconstruct the ancient past. In this
episode, we explore the glory of Rome--from founding to its zenith--
and march along as the Romans conquer the then-known world.

Channel Guide

10:18:15 AM