It seems like I read that another 100-something has "taken that little black train" on a monthly basis. Willard Scott gives them a shout out on their birthday, and a few months later they show up on msn.com, dead.
Apparently, there are only seven living "supercentenarians" in the world. All of them: DOOMED. (A supercentenarian is one living beyond 110 years.) But this is news ... because ... um ...
Do you know what else? The youngest person on Earth has just been born. NOW. No, wait ... NOW. I suppose that's a lot harder to track, let alone report. And, how do they track who's oldest? Supposedly, that title now belongs to a 114-year-old Japanese woman named Kama. Go visit her, quickly. I'm sure there have been a handful of oldies that have actually been the oldest, but lack "verification." Meh ... paperwork.
The oldest person ever (if you ignore the Bible's statistics) was Jeanne Calment (however, disputed by a 128-year old Salvadoran lady -- now passed). Jeanne was a French gal who lived to be 122 years, 164 days. Remember how important counting "half-years" was when you were little? It gets REAL important when you live as long as trees. Most of the top 100 oldest dead people also have lived in the United States. Really? India and China have populations over one billion, whereas America has a population of 306 million. Maybe America just has the most powerful public relations staff?
It gets a little sketchy due to verifications based on birth certificates printed on animal skins or cave walls. Not to mention, the most common lie could be about one's age. Do you think women who lie about being YOUNGER, begin to lie about being OLDER at some point? Highly dubious.
Either way, I suppose it's interesting to peek into the lives of others -- and being so old is just a good excuse. Just like drinking beer in Milwaukee. But, beware ye of 115 years ... don't procrastinate and we'll read about you real soon.
