New Delhi: This Valentine's Day will be special for Manuel Uribe, the world's heaviest man - he will tie the knot with longtime girlfriend Claudia on the special occasion and it will be shown on television. Here are 10 odd things to do on Valentine's Day.
World's heaviest man gets hitched
From interviews to pre-wedding preparations, all of it would be telecast on History TV18 channel Feb 14. Manuel hit the headlines in March 2006 for his extraordinary weight. Following years of over-eating and an unhealthy lifestyle, Manuel hasn't left his bed in five years. He became the heaviest man on the planet, weighing in at an incredible 540 kg and almost committed suicide after slipping into depression. However, a sudden change of fate and the relentless assistance of doctors got him back on track. Although still unable to get out of bed, he has lost over 190 kg.
Buy condoms at Re 1
In an attempt to promote a safe Valentine's Day, an e-commerce portal has introduced a campaign offering condoms at Re.1. The offer, available on Snapdeal.com, is a reminder that Valentine's Day should not just be about surprise gifts, a romantic dinner and red roses, but also about 'playing it safe'. The website has partnered with condom brand Durex for this campaign which will go live Tuesday.
"Love", "romance", and "Federal Reserve"
The central bank and many economists who spend countless hours monitoring Federal Reserve decisions began their Valentine's Day flirtations a bit early. It started with Justin Wolfers, an economist at the University of Pennsylvania, who tweeted: "You're my long-run target; my nominal anchor" - with the attached hashtag, #FedValentines. For those who aren't steeped in FedSpeak, what Wolfers was referring to was the Fed's inflation benchmarks.
Within minutes, some top economists in the United States had chimed in with their own take on Cupid. They included Austan Goolsbee, who was previously President Barack Obama's top economist and is now professor of economics at University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Some of the Fed's regional arms - the San Francisco Fed, Philadelphia Fed and Atlanta Fed - weighed in, as did a number of academics and journalists.
Marathon kiss
Seven couples have brought their lips together in the Thai beach resort of Pattaya, some 100 km southeast of Bangkok, hoping to break the world record for longest continuous kiss - which currently stands at nearly two days. The marathon kicked off on Sunday and will go through Valentine's Day, with prizes and glory for the pair that manages to hold out longer than 46 hours, 24 minutes and nine seconds. That record was set in 2011 by Lakkana Tiranarat, 31, and her husband, both back this year for another go.
Are you a plus-size model? Get "Bare"
In the middle of New York Fashion Week, typically filled with skinny models in slender garments, it was a celebration of the full figured and fabulous when lingerie maker Bare Necessities launched Bare Plus -- a new line catering to the rising numbers of plus-size women. "The new American woman," says Jay Dunn, chief marketing officer for Bare Plus, noting that more than 60 percent of American women wear a size 14 or higher. Weight and questions of what constitutes a healthy and attractive body image have been flashpoints in fashion for years, of course. After two anorexic Latin American models died in 2006, countries including Italy and India banned underweight models from the catwalk as part of an effort to promote a healthier image of beauty.
Meet your soulmate at a sweet factory
A factory in Britain that produces heart-shaped, sugar-coated sweets has a total of 500 employees, of which 122 -- or 61 couples -- are in a relationship. The Swizzels Matlow factory in Derbyshire that makes "Love Hearts" has been dubbed the country's most romantic workplace, according to the Daily Mail.
The company said one in every four workers at its factory is in a relationship with another employee. The company makes 200 million Love Hearts every year, with each one featuring messages like "I Love you" or "All mine".
Send a soldier a Valentine
Aamber Alderson's sweetheart - her husband, Staff Sergeant James Alderson - will be thousands of miles away from her on Valentine's Day. So on Friday at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, she recorded a virtual valentine that will be sent to troops in places including Kuwait and Afghanistan, where he is stationed.
"We love you, we miss you, you're our hero, come home safely," Alderson said she told her husband. Alderson recorded her video message as part of the "It's a Great Day to Love a Soldier" event at a Fort Bliss mall. Some, like her, came to send a message to a loved one.
Others recorded messages to all deployed soldiers, thanking them for their service. The 10- to 30-second messages will be seen by as many as 10,000 troops, according to officials at Fort Bliss, which organized the public event along with the Association of the US Army and AT&T.
'Experience gifts', anyone?
Forget cards, flowers and chocolates, most singles want a special experience rather than a gift for Valentine's Day and although the economy is stagnating, most romantics will spend as much, or more, on the day this year than last.
Nearly half of single and divorced people questioned in a new poll said they view the day as an opportunity to show someone how much they care but a similar number without a significant other don't feel any pressure to celebrate Cupid's big day.
"The more you have experiences with someone, the more you are able to build memories and share histories that help to make the relationship more intimate."
Unlike material gifts, he added, an experience, whether it is an outing, a vacation or a special meal, is something unique to the couple, especially if it reflects both people's interests.
But not everyone questioned in the poll of 730 singles is making a fuss about Valentine's Day. About a third of men and women think the holiday is just too commercial.
Mid-air wedding
Thailand has organized a show known as a "flying wedding" as part of an adventure-themed wedding ceremony in Prachinburi province in Thailand. Couples swing out on rappelling ropes and are chased by actors in pirate costume as part of the ceremony.
Lingerie rally
Women marched through downtown Sydney demanding lingerie themed Valentine's Day gifts during a rally sponsored by a lingerie company in Australia. (With additional inputs from IANS, AP and Reuters)
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