h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Perhaps the greatest tragedy to befall the Guiness Book was in the early 1990s, when it was announced that the editors intended to gradually phase out a large amount of world records that had previously come under the category "Miscellaneous Human Endeavours".

There was concern that, in these records such as Longest Time Buried Alive or Most Nails Driven Into Spinal Cord, there was a threat to human safety that was being obscured by the desire to appear in the book. And so sadly, the most entertaining part of the Guiness Book of Records (and the only reason people ever bought it) was removed, destined to appear relegated to awful American real-TV style brand affiliations.

Norris McWhirter must be turning in his grave. That is, assuming he's dead. Or just going for that record.