Granny's Old Trunk

The world's oldest people and their secrets to a long life.

2021-07-12T17:29:00.001-07:00

At Guinness World Records, we celebrate all kinds of achievements and for some, that’s just by living to a grand old age.

It's fascinating to see the ages people can reach, which is why this category is always a permanent feature in our annual book.

As well as the oldest people living, we have followed a number of other records broken by older people throughout the years, including the story of Harry Bidwell, the oldest person to get divorced at the age of 101 in 1980.

The oldest person to ever live and the oldest person ever (female) was Jeanne Louise Calment (b. 21 February 1875) from Arles, France who died at the age of 122 years and 164 days old.

When asked on her 120th birthday what she expected from the future, she replied: “I expect a short one.” continue...

Oldest Rainforest in the World to Become a Palm Oil Plantation

2012-05-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

CAMAROON - 60,000 hectares of woodland are to be cleared for a area oil colony. Kenya, Liberia, the Ivory Coastand separate African countries change already acknowledged banging areas of their rainforests up to touch oil plantations. The Blackstone Assemble now wishes to set palm oil in Cameroonas recovered. As a finish of this impute, one of the oldest rainforests on the follower could be blighted forever. The tree oil gift primarily be produced for Inhabitant industry. In Southwesterly Volcano, one of the oldest and most bio-diverse rainforests on the planet is confronting death. The extent naturalized for logging direct borders the KorupNational Parkand the Rumpi Hills plant unneeded. This land is a point for a majuscule fill faculty recede their earth and with it their livelihood, due to the beginning of the area oil colony.

Fla.'s oldest hardware store closing Store in St. Augustine opened in 1875

2012-01-05T06:59:00.000-08:00

Hamblen Hardware in St. Augustine is closing. The owner said it is just too difficult to keep going in today's economy.
The store opened in 1875 and has moved over the years. Owner KC Kramer has been running the store for the past 17 years and said it has been his life.
"We have thought about it for the past year, what do we want to do, and I just don't like doing it because I love serving the community, and that's what this hardware store is all about," Kramer said.
The store will be having a blowout sale from now until February.
Kramer said he personally calls customers to let them know when something they need arrives. It's just one way he said he tries to live up to the Hamblen Hardware legacy.
Kramer said it's important to give the oldest named store in Florida a hometown feel.
"I'm one little guy and I just love doing it. I love helping people out, love to see the satisfaction on their faces," Kramer said.
Kramer's store sells services, tools and knick-knacks. Kramer works alongside five longtime part-timers and his wife of 46 years, Gail.
"I'm the bookkeeper and I also check people out," Gail Kramer said. "I do inventory, I clean the bathrooms, I mop floors, I do whatever the boss wants me to do."

Oldest Twins in World Celebrate 102nd Birthday in Hospital

2012-01-05T06:37:00.000-08:00

The world's oldest twins celebrated their 102nd birthday with family and friends in a Welsh hospital.

Ena Pugh and Lily Milward were born in the Welsh village of Garthbrengy on 4 January, 1910, when Edward VII was King.

The twins could not throw a party as Lily was in hospital recovering from hip surgery but her sister and wellwishers gathered around her bedside to toast the pair, who were given copies of the Guinness World Records to see their entry.

"They have always been close and they have always been happy. That might be their secret," said Lily's granddaughter, Jayne Nascimento.

Lily lives in a cottage in the Brecon Beacons while Ena lives in the nearby village of Erwood. The two maintain a tradition of seeing each other every week, when they take a bus together to go shopping.

"The birthday celebration was a lovely day even though Lily was in hospital. We did have a big party planned, but it was still a time for us to come together and have some cake and celebrate. Now Lily has a metal hip and she's doing well," said Jayne.Read More>>>

Penn State puts Mike McQueary, who reported sexual abuse, on leave

2011-11-11T17:09:00.000-08:00

Penn State assistant football coach Mike McQueary, whose grand jury testimony led eventually to public disclosure of the child sex-abuse allegations engulfing the school, was placed on administrative leave Friday afternoon.

The news came after the university said McQueary, who has received numerous threats, wouldn't be attending Penn State's game Saturday against Nebraska.

For some — including Penn State fans who blame McQueary for costing legendary coach Joe Paterno his job and damaging the football program's reputation — an indefinite administrative leave is not good enough. They want him fired — now. "How is it Mike McQueary, who saw the incident, [is] still employed and JoePa, who never saw anything [is] out of the job?" asked one commenter on Twitter. Read More>>>

IAEA shows Iran nuke program intel to 35 nations

2011-11-11T17:03:00.000-08:00

VIENNA -- In a show-and-tell based on secret intelligence, the U.N. atomic agency shared satellite images, letters and diagrams with 35 nations Friday as it sought to underpin its case that Iran apparently worked secretly on developing a nuclear weapon.

Iran's chief envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency rejected the presentation as based on material fabricated by the United States and its allies.

"There is no indication and proof that Iran's activities is toward military purposes," he told reporters, in comments that those inside the closed meeting showing the evidence said essentially matched his statement to that gathering.

Western diplomats, in contrast, said that the briefing was a convincing supplement to a report presented earlier this week.

Based on 1,000 pages of research and nearly a decade of probing Iran, that document included evidence that the agency says indicates the Islamic republic is working on the clandestine procurement of equipment and designs to make nuclear arms.

"While some of the activities identified in the annex have civilian as well as military applications, others are specific to nuclear weapons," the report said.Read More>>

Paterno fired over Penn St. child abuse scandal

2011-11-09T22:40:00.000-08:00

(CBS/AP)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - In a massive shakeup, Penn State football coach Joe Paterno and school president Graham Spanier were fired Wednesday night by the board of trustees amid the growing furor over how the school handled child sex abuse allegations against an assistant coach.

The longtime coach, the winningest in major college football, was ousted at the end of day that began with his announcement to retire at end of the season, his 46th.

It was not to be.

"The university is much larger than its athletic teams," board vice chair John Surma said during a packed press conference.Read More>>>

Italians cast doubt on PM's resignation; market reacts

2011-11-09T16:42:00.000-08:00

ROME – A day after Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi promised to bow out of the country's political picture sooner rather than later, Italians said they are not convinced he will actually leave.

"I am starting to think they will have to carry Berlusconi on a stretcher or at gunpoint," said Pier Luigi Bascolo, a 63-year-old retired taxi driver. "I don't think he's going to walk out on his own."

The beleaguered Berlusconi, the latest head of state to fall victim to the fast-spreading European debt crisis, told Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on Tuesday that he would resign from his office as soon as the country's latest austerity package made its way through Parliament. Read More>>

Powerful Storm Pummels Western Alaska

2011-11-09T16:34:00.000-08:00

A storm hit Tununak in western Alaska on Tuesday.

A powerful storm with hurricane-force winds slammed into western Alaska on Wednesday, causing power failures in some tiny coastal villages and warnings that the area could suffer major flooding.

In a Tuesday forecast, the National Weather Service described the storm as “extremely dangerous and life-threatening” and of “an epic magnitude rarely experienced.” The service said, “All people in the area should take precautions to safeguard their lives and property.”No injuries had been reported by Wednesday afternoon, and some of the worst winds had subsided. But forecasters warned that the storm was still strong and the could cause flooding later as waters surge.By late morning, power had been lost, restored and lost again in Point Hope, a village of fewer than 900 people on a thin spit in the Chukchi Sea. The village school, which has an emergency generator, served as a shelter and provided food on Wednesday. Classes had been canceled since Tuesday. Residents worried that houses and their plumbing would begin to freeze as temperatures dipped close to zero with the wind chill. Read More>>

Sharon Bialek: Herman Cain knows who I am

2011-11-09T16:28:00.000-08:00

Sharon Bialek, the first woman to step forward publicly with sexual harassment charges against Herman Cain, suggested Wednesday the presidential contender was lying yesterday when he said he doesn't remember Bialek.

On MSNBC Wednesday, Bialek recounted an incident, which others have said they witnessed, in which she approached Cain at a Tea Party rally.

"I simply grasped his elbow and leaned in towards him to acknowledge he knew exactly who I was," she said. "He acknowledged who I was."

Bialek declined to reveal what she said to Cain at the event, but she said, "It was simply a few statements to jar his memory ... That was only a month ago."

At a press conference on Tuesday, Cain said he did not recall ever seeing Bialek before she came forward with her allegations on Monday. "I tried to remember if I recognized her, and I didn't. I tried to remember if I remembered that name, and I didn't," he said.

Bialek said she was "very disappointed but not surprised" by Cain's response, which she said "disrespected me and millions of other women across the country who are violated in the same way in the workplace."Read More>>>

World's biggest crocodile a major attraction

2011-11-09T16:25:00.000-08:00

It's official ... Australian zoologist Adam Britton (L) measures the world's biggest captive crocodile in Bunawan in the Philippines. Photo: AFP

A small Philippine town yesterday laid claim to having the world's largest captive crocodile after an Australian expert measured the saltwater beast at more than six metres.

The male reptile was captured in Bunawan in the Agusan marsh on the southern island of Mindanao in September and measured at 6.2 metres by Australian zoologist Adam Britton, Bunawan town council member Apollo Canoy said.

"We are happy to announce that we have the biggest crocodile in the whole world," Canoy said in a telephone interview.Read More>>>

Miss World met with protests at 60th anniversary show in London

2011-11-06T19:20:00.000-08:00

Miss Venezuela, Ivian Sarcos, reacts as she hears she has been named Miss World 2011. Photograph: Paul Hackett/Reuters

Demonstrators gathered in Earls Court, west London, as the Miss World contest returned to a London venue for its 60th anniversary show. Around 50 protesters carried placards that read, among other things, "Miss Deed" and "Miss Ogynist".

Rebecca Mordan, who helped organised the protest, said the wide age range of the protesters showed that feminism was still relevant today.

"You can't pull the wool over young women's eyes," said Mordan. "They're living and growing up in a culture that sees pornography as increasingly mainstream. This is the soft end of that, reducing women down to the sum of their parts."

The Miss World event, involving women from 113 countries, is still watched by an estimated 1 billion people around the world. Read More>>>

International Modeling and Talent Association (IMTA) Celebrates 25th Anniversary

2011-11-06T19:15:00.000-08:00

The 25th annual IMTA Convention concluded this weekend in New York City. Models, actors, singers and dancers from around the world competed in modeling and talent events with 300 agents, managers and casting directors in attendance who were searching for new faces and judging the competitions. Michelle Paige from Philadelphia, PA is the winner of the prestigious IMTA Model of the Year.

New York, NY (PRWEB) July 31, 2011

Celebrating 25 years of IMTA Conventions was one of the many highlights of the week. Special recognition was given to the Agents, Managers and Casting Directors who have been at IMTA for the entire 25 years. Karen Lee, Joan Stephens, Arthur Bronfin, Clair Sinnet, Joey Hunter, Michael Flutie, Heinz Holba, Cynthia Kazarian, David Vando and Judy Savage were honored. The IMTA Member Directors who have been part of the IMTA for 25 years were also recognized: Diane Dick, Janie Head, Voloney White, Wendi Davis, on behalf of Margaret O’Brien, and Joe Rickie, on behalf of Rose Perez. IMTA also recognized Nancy Mancuso, Chief Operating Officer of IMTA, for more than 25 years of dedicated and inspired leadership of the Association. Read More>>>

Apple pushed security executive out

2011-11-06T19:09:00.000-08:00

Cava 22, the bar where an Apple employee lost control of an unreleased device sometime around July 22.

(Credit: Greg Sandoval/CNET)

Against a backdrop of lost, unreleased devices and allegations that employees impersonated policemen, Apple forced the company's chief of security into retirement, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

John Theriault, a former FBI agent who came to Apple from Pfizer in 2007, was the man in charge of Apple's security unit during a span that saw the company embarrassed multiple times when important trade secrets were exposed.

Theriault was not immediately available for comment, and a Apple spokesman declined to comment. The blog 9to5mac.com first reported Theriault's departure.Read More>>>

Siri as a 'threat' to Google's search business

2011-11-06T18:52:00.000-08:00

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt testifies before a senate subcommittee investigating Google's dominance in Web search.

"Apple's Siri is a significant development--a voice-activated means of accessing answers through iPhones that demonstrates the innovations in search," Schmidt said during an appearance before a Senate antitrust subcommittee in September. "Google has many strong competitors and we sometimes fail to anticipate the competitive threat posed by new methods of accessing information."
Read More>>>

Greek Leaders Agree on New Government

2011-11-06T18:24:00.000-08:00

ATHENS - Prime Minister George Papandreou and his main rival decided late Sunday to create a new unity government under a new prime minister, who will go ahead with debt relief guide the country with the European Union and new elections. Mr. Papandreou agreed to resign once the details have been completed

The conformity appeared to break a political deadlock that paralyzed Greece facing a serious financial crisis that threatens to infect the euro zone countries, especially Italy. European leaders see the agreement debt relief hit Greece on October 26 as vital to include the crisis in Greece and the isolation of Italy, a much larger economy that political leaders have also struggled to cut budgets and make off the debt. Read More>>>

World’s Oldest Stone Artefacts from Gona, Ethiopia

2011-10-21T18:06:00.000-07:00

The systematic archaeological and geological survey and excavations at Gona between 1992–1994 led to the discovery of well-ﬂaked stone artefacts which are currently the oldest known from anywhere in the world. More than 3000 surface and excavated artefacts were recovered at 15 localities documented east and west of the Kada Gona river. Based on radioisotopic dating ( 40 Ar/ 39 Ar) and magnetostratigraphy, the artefacts are dated between 2·6–2·5 million years ago (Ma). EG10 and EG12 from East Gona are the most informative with the highest density, providing the best opportunity for characterizing the oldest assemblages and for understanding the stone working capability of the earliest tool makers. Slightly younger artefact occurrences dated to 2·4–2·3 Ma are known from Hadar and Omo in Ethiopia, and from Lokalalei in Kenya. Cut-marked bones dated to 2·5 Ma from Bouri in Ethiopia are now providing important clues on the function of these artefacts. In addition, Australopithecus garhi known from contemporary deposits at Bouri may be the best candidate responsible for the oldest artefacts. Surprisingly, the makers of the Gona artefacts had a sophisticated understanding of stone fracture mechanics and control similar to what is observed for Oldowan assemblages dated between 2·0–1·5 Ma. This observation was corroborated by the recent archaeological discoveries made at Lokalalei. Because of the similarities seen in the techniques of artefact manufacture during the Late Pliocene–Early Pleistocene, it is argued here that the stone assemblages dated between 2·6–1·5 Ma group into the Oldowan Industry. The similarity and simplicity of the artefacts from this time interval suggests a technological stasis in the Oldowan.

Oldest Memories-Ladykathleen

2011-10-21T17:26:00.000-07:00

Just wanna share this poems by Lady Kathleen which really touched my heart...
I

Oldest memories of a time long ago
I thought was just a dream set aglow.

Water surrounds the world I see
and it was closing in on me.

The red of blood through waters deep
draw closer now with no sound to speak.

A symbol now is what does reveal and spark
A wavy shape, I see, of two white crossed marks.

If not a dream, then what memory
And what does this memory mean?

The truth be known in later years
That it was a memory with tears.

My oldest memories that haunts me to this day
Is of a time where death called but I got away.

For I fell into a pool as a young baby of three
And to the bottom sinking down soft and free.

As a gallant man jumped in to save the young lass
And he wore swimming trunks of red with white crosses

A thing that was in my mind now and then
that would haunt me for all time and again.

Loudest purr of cats

2011-10-09T00:47:00.000-07:00

Guinness World of records is pleased to announce that Smokey, is a 12-year-old female British short hair cat, has recognised as reached to have that 67.7 DB (LA top).
However, when measured close-up her purrs reach 92 decibels, equivalent to the noise of a lawnmower, hair dryer or, it is claimed, a Boeing 737 coming in to land.

Its owners, Ruth and Mark Adams, say Smokey's deafening purrs make it impossible for them to hear the television or radio when she is in the room and they struggle to have telephone conversations.

"She has always been very vocal and purrs at some level nearly all the time," said Ruth, from Pitsford, in Northampton.

"She even manages to purr while she eats. The only time she is quiet is when she is asleep.

"When I'm on the phone friends often ask what the loud noise is and they can't believe it is coming from a cat."

Read More>>>

Oldest Sediba human ancestor could shift our origins to South Africa

2011-10-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

Fossil skull of the Australopithecus sediba child from the South African Malapa caves, who lived 1.98 million years ago. This species may be the ancestor to the first humans in the genus Homo. © Brett Eloff/ University of the Witwatersrand

At almost 2 million years old, a human-like species from caves at Malapa in South Africa may be the ancestor to the first humans, and may shift the likely location of early human origins from East Africa to South Africa, scientists report in the journal Science today.

New oldest living people announced

2011-10-05T21:27:00.001-07:00

Jiroemon Kimura from Kyoto, Japan, turns 114 today.

April 19, 2011 - Guinness world records, the global authority on record, today announces the new 'oldest living people' as a 114-year-old Jiroemon Kimura from Kyoto, Japan.

Oldest woman completed a marathon

2011-10-05T21:09:00.000-07:00

Guinness world records marathons, Gladys Burril (United States) for their congratulates the last record as the "at the age of 92 years, 19 days.

Read More>>>

Oldest man dies

2011-10-05T21:04:00.000-07:00

It is with great sadness, the Guinness World of records of the death of current oldest living man, Walter Breuning has learned. Walter passed away on 14 April 2011 at the age of 114 years and 205 days.

21 September 1896 in Melrose, Minnesota, United States as, Walter to great falls, Montana, United States 1918, and worked for the Great Northern Railway. He was married to Agnes Twokey, 1922 (died 1957), and she had no children. He remained in great falls, for the rest of his life and spent the last 30 years live the Rainbow retirement community. Walter attributed his longevity to healthy eating.

Walter was a consultant, Robert young, played in the recent Guinness world records 2011 and his official plaque of Gerontology on the birthday on September last year.

Walter was the world's second oldest, behind the current oldest living person and the wife, Besse Cooper (United States).

Read More>>>

New oldest living person

2011-10-05T20:59:00.001-07:00

May 18, 2011, London - today, Guinness world records, the global authority on record-breaking, can confirm that the Brazilian Maria Gomes Valentim has taken the title of "oldest living person" in the age of 114 years and 313 days.

The ur-ur grandma is Mrs Besse Cooper of Monroe, Georgia, United States, whose titles are 48 days older 'oldest living American.' as the previous title holder, now

9. July 1896, car Angola, Brazil, where she lived all her life, Maria born. In 1913, she married João Valentim and was widowed links, 1946. They had a son, four grandchildren, great-grandson, seven and five great-great-grandson.

Valentim attributes of her life longevity to a healthy diet. She eat a full roll bread of every morning with coffee, fruit and the occasional milk with linseed. Confirm their "strong hands", is still in a position to eat completely on his own and wine treated with an occasional glass.

Guinness world records editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday, said: "a claim by a woman born during the reign of Queen Victoria - before the Ford Motor Company was founded, or even before, George and IRA Gershwin, - is in itself remarkable, but for the woman to Brazilian makes it very special." "Never a successful lawsuit for longevity emerged from Brazil - to this day."

During the Guinness world records several claims of potential Brazilian super centenary, were never ratified these requirements has received due to lack of relevant evidence and documentation. Maria Gomes Valentim rule as a "person living elders" are first of country Super-centenarian, to receive official recognition.

Ninety-nine percent of the claims to age from 115

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10 Creepy Old School Surgical Tools

2011-10-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

You might believe your HMO plan, it's creepy, but at least do not use these traditional surgical instruments ... wait.

Amputation Knife (1700)
Knives used for amputations during the 18th century is usually curved, because surgeons tend to make a circular cut through skin and muscle before the bone was cut with a saw. By the late 1800's, straight blades became more popular as it became easier to leave a flap of skin that could be used to cover the stump exposed.

Remove Arrow (1500)
Not much is known about this tool, but it is hypothesized that the wound was introduced in a crouching position, with the central axis is used to hold the arrow. The leaves, which seem to have their edges outward, then extended with scissors controllers, expanding the flesh around the arrow to avoid breaking the arrow through the flesh, as it was removed.

Artificial Leech (1800)
Bleeding with leeches was a popular treatment for a wide range of medical conditions that an artificial leech was invented in 1840 and was used often in the eye and ear surgery. The rotating blades cut a wound in the skin of the patient, while the cylinder is used to produce a vacuum that sucks the blood.

Bullet Extractor (1500)
Elongated bullet extractors bullets could reach deeply embedded in the patient's body. Extractors as it had a screw tip may be inserted into the wound and extends to pierce the bullet so it can be removed.

Cervical dilator (1800)
This instrument is used to dilate the cervix of a woman during childbirth, the amount of expansion in the scale measured by the handle. Dilators and disgraced because they often cause the cervix to break.

Circumcision Knife (1770)
Ritual circumcision is performed around the world in varying degrees and for various reasons, but some instruments used in the process are as intimidating as the knife Europe since the 18th century.

Ecraseur (1870)
This is used to cut ecraseur hemorrhoids and uterine or ovarian tumors. The chain was wrapped in dough and tightens with the ratchet, stopping blood circulation to the area.

Hemorrhoids Clips (1800)
These clips are used to capture a hemorrhoid in the leaves and apply pressure to stop the blood supply, causing the hemorrhoid to fall.

Hernia Tool (1850s)
This unique tool was used after the restoration of a hernia. It was inserted into the body near the affected area and left there for a week to produce scar tissue that would help seal off the hernia.

Hirtz Compass (1915)
The Hirtz compass was used to accurately determine where bullets were located in the body so that they could then be removed with precision.