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[the Earl of Whirl]

It is now three and a half years since this thread was alive.  The Guinness record is still held by a guy using a whip top on the ground, I never got on TV with a top and I finally met Walter Watts.

Right before nationals Mark Hayward visited the Hall of Fame and started playing around with a silver metal lug cover and regenerating it.  Several days later I tried some regeneration work with it and went 30 minutes.  I thought I could get some longer runs so I gave it a shot on my day off (today) but lost it at 38 minutes. 

It still feels like there is something more there.  We will see!     

[the Earl of Whirl]

Well, I just had a run of 52 minutes and lost it when I was playing around with different regeneration moves.  Someone with more patience and concentration could take this a lot farther.

I know we have talked about topnosis here before and I found an old thread.  Yet, here is something I don't think we have dealt with.....topnosis helping those with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).  It sounds fascinating to me.

http://healmyptsd.com/2011/09/ptsd-treatment-top-no-sis.html

[lincolnrick]

That was an interesting article, thanks for sharing.  Do you have a for real Top-NoSis board in the Hall of Fame?

Another skill that I've found to put me in a TopNosis trance is basic three ball juggling.  Once mastered, you can just use enough of your brain and muscle memory to keep the pattern going, and the rest of you can just fall into a 'zone' of relaxation.

[the Earl of Whirl]

I do not have a topnosis board (I see on their website where they spell it TOP-NO-SIS).  I feel like I am cheating by using an IKEA bowl and a metal lug nut cover.

This might be a good thing to do on International Top Spinning Day but I don't really have the time.  Rats!  Maybe next year?

[the Earl of Whirl]

Tomorrow is my day off.  I plan to use the morning trying to go longer than 52 minutes with my IKEA bowl and a lug nut cover.  While thinking about that and searching the web I found an interesting article on Ed Rubin's blog.  I have not seen this before.  It was written on Thursday, November 18, 2010......

Today is Guinness Book of World Records Day.  In 1996, my son Adam and I set a new world record for keeping a top spinning, untouched after the initial spin, using my invention, TOP-NO-SIS.  Our record was 2 hours 0 minutes and 54 seconds, at which point we stopped intentionally.  Guinness accepted the record but didn't print it. 

In 1998, a boy from Georgia beat our record by keeping his top (also a TOP-NO-SIS toy) spinning for 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 11 seconds.  He was listed as a world record holder on Guinness's website for a couple of years.

A few years later, Guinness eliminated the category (no touching after the initial spin), saying it was too specific, and  started allowing the spinning top to be touched in various ways (feather, stick etc.) in order to keep it spinning. 

So, the current world record for duration of top spinning is now a wee bit over seven hours.  It is held by the talented but obsessed man who owns the record for the most Guinness world records!  He used an implement to keep hitting his top to feed it energy, and I believe Guinness manipulated this entire category scenario to help promote themselves through their favorite record holder.

Using my TOP-NO-SIS toy, a skilled person can keep the LSX top spinning for a lifetime, untouched!  Literally.  But  I've had it with Guinness, will not try to break the current record, and I still advertise my invention as the longest spinning top in the world (untouched after the initial spin).  f*** Guinness.

[the Earl of Whirl]

Thanks to a TV series called "How the States Got Their Shapes" I am not bored out of my mind.  I watched several segments of that show while spinning the metal lug nut cover in an IKEA bowl.  What a great show.  It seems that I learn a lot every time I watch it.  I finally let the spinner stop whirling after 3 hours 3 minutes and 53 seconds.  The seven hour attempt is still out there with that whip top but I think it would take quite a few more good shows on the TV for me to consider that.  Besides, I was really starting to get kind of dizzy the last hour.

Time for some lunch and a good walk to get my body back on track.

[ta0]

I admire your stamina, Mike (specially on other more physically demanding challenges you have undertaken).

I think Rubin is not quite right (although I agree that Ashrita Furman probably gets preferential treatment from Guinness). But I don't see an intrinsic difference between "touching it" with a whip and "touching it" with a plate. In both cases you are giving it extra energy through contact.

[JMauk]

But  I've had it with Guinness, will not try to break the current record, and I still advertise my invention as the longest spinning top in the world (untouched after the initial spin).  f*** Guinness.

I too have concerns about Guinness.  They seemed far more specific in their requirements for me than for the Japanese predecessors, which I don't mind as I think the requirements were needed.  But they were very pushy on selling the presence of one of their "adjudicators" and I got the very distinct impression my attempt would be treated more graciously if a personal adjudicator were present.  That would mean a payment of at least $7,000 to Guinness outright and then plane fare and hotel accommodations for the adjudicator.  When they (correctly) informed me that my 2012 attempt did not qualify as video submitted showed top shaft leaning on the upper bearing and thus they were unable to certify the record, it was followed the same week with another offer for me to pay for an adjudicator for my next attempt. As often happens their original heartbeat (certifying world records) was surpassed by the commercial interest (pay for an adjudicator).  But when we are ready, we will be submitting new video evidence, by mail again, and will see what happens.  Unless, of course, one of you fine friends wants to come up with the 7 grand?

[poptop]

Guinness or not, you are the biggest top spinner of record to us Joe!

Best of luck!

[lincolnrick]

Joe, Guinness cannot measure heart and soul.  It will be a very, very long time before this effort will be surpassed.

[JMauk]

Thanks, guys.  I am thankful to have entered this previously unknown world of the forum. Great support in many ways.  But, on the other hand, does that mean you guys are not coughing up the $7,000?   

[Jack]

Joe, Guinness cannot measure heart and soul.  It will be a very, very long time before this effort will be surpassed.

Guinness or not, you are the biggest top spinner of record to us Joe!

Best of luck!

here here

[the Earl of Whirl]

It has been over a year and a half since anyone has added to this thread.  It has been almost six years since it first started.  I am looking at it because for some reason it intrigues me again.  Wonder what the longest run with a fixed tip top is?  I just did a minute with a chongkakegoma and started wondering.  My next goal is two minutes.  I know Miki has long runs and even went 2:38 on the world stage at Tokyo (yes, he did not use his full 3 minutes).  The urban legend is that Steve Brown went 45 minutes in front of a camera that was not turned on!!!  He had to be using a fixed tip top, don't you think?  Maybe at worlds we can find out exactly what kind of a top he used?

[Jack]

It has been over a year and a half since anyone has added to this thread.  It has been almost six years since it first started.  I am looking at it because for some reason it intrigues me again.  Wonder what the longest run with a fixed tip top is?  I just did a minute with a chongkakegoma and started wondering.  My next goal is two minutes.  I know Miki has long runs and even went 2:38 on the world stage at Tokyo (yes, he did not use his full 3 minutes).  The urban legend is that Steve Brown went 45 minutes in front of a camera that was not turned on!!!  He had to be using a fixed tip top, don't you think?  Maybe at worlds we can find out exactly what kind of a top he used?

whaaaaaaaa!?!?!? i thought you had roller coasters going for 2 hrs mike? i read that somewhere here on the forum didnt i?
45 minutes doesnt sound that long to be honest 

[the Earl of Whirl]

I cheated.  I had a one way bearing.  Please do not think less of me, Jack!  It was a fun run of trials and errors, though.  But even if I had gone nine or ten hours Guinness would not have given me any love.  I don't think they like me!!!

On the other hand, I like the potential exercise and smooth movement of the chongkakegoma.  I just went two minutes.  I enjoy the positive feelings from improvement.  No Guinness records for me....just going after some pr's.....personal records!