Talk:Oldest people/Archive 1

message: Shouldn't she be said to be the oldest living person? I mean, according to San Slavador she is the oldest person. Also, she had her "128th" birthday yesterday. Yes, I relieze if she is really that old she would have had her first child when she was 37, then she had 12 more. There is a women named Janise Wulf whom gave birth to 12th child when she was 62. This is evidence enough that Cruz Hernandez having her first child when she was 37 is very likely! I am going to make an article about her, and I think you all should have her be called the oldest women on here, too.  Dexter111344 22:13, 4 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Cruz Hernández

message: I propose to replace the opening paragraph with the following.  User:Ryoung122 disagrees.  Let us have your opinons on the value of this entire change, or any useful parts of it, so that we can reach a consensus.
:Oldest people have always been a subject of interest in any community.  In recent decades, world-wide research has solidified into a field of study known as Gerontology.
:The population and ages of older people are continually increasing due to improvements in healthcare and lifestyle during the 19th and 20th centuries.  It is now unsurprising to find individuals, usually females, living to ages of 115 and more.  The term supercentenarian has been coined to describe those who live to 110 or more.
:As we move into the 21st century gerontology is benefiting from the improvements in record-keeping in the industrialized world from the latter part of the 19th century.  As a result, verification standards have evolved and multiple independent documentary confirmations of birth-date are now required to substantiate a claim, rather than evidence deriving only from the claimant.  For claims that have not been satisfactorily confirmed by Guinness World Records, considered the authority, see Longevity claims.
:The longest satisfactorily documented lifespan is that of Jeanne Calment (1875-1997) who was aged 122 years and 164 days at the time of her death. While her stories of meeting Vincent Van Gogh when aged 14, or attending the 1885 funeral of Victor Hugo might have been embroidered, her life was documented in the records of her native city of Arles, France beyond reasonable question.
:Guinness World Records considers Shigechiyo Izumi of Japan (1865-1986) the oldest documented man, having reached 120 years and 137 days.  This claim was accepted in 1978 but subsequent additional research has raised doubt as to whether he was wrongly conflated with a brother who died at a young age.
:As of May 2006, the oldest verified living person is the 116-years old Maria Esther de Capovilla of Ecuador, born September 14, 1889.   The oldest verified living man is Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico, born August 21, 1891. 
:The following tables list notable oldest people, in various categories.  For supercentenarians known for anything other than their extreme age, see the centenarians article.
The existing intro paragraph was taken from a section of the supercentenarian article when this article was split off about 3 months ago.
My reasons for changing are:
* To make it clear that the article not just a list of older people, but is about the study of older people, and the historical context of that study.
* To make the existing summary info simpler to digest by removing some facts which are on the detail pages, such as where Jeanne Calment is said to have met Van Gogh, that Jeanne Calment was 111 on the date that Izumi died.
* To make it clear that the Jeann Calment/Van Gogh meeting is questioned by some and not a confirmed fact.
* To simplify the 4 different dates given in the Izumi paragraph.
* To allow the bolding of article name in the article opening paragraph
* To expalin that Shigechiyo Izumi is included in the pargraph because he is the oldest ever-lived man, according to Guinness
* To explain that his record is now doubted because standards of documentation are higher than they were at that time
-- Rye1967 21:19, 19 May 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Well then there is no further dispute, so I am applying it to the article.--Rye1967 01:43, 27 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Opening paragraph rewrite - Proposal 3 - For Third party opinion 

message: I added Henry Allingham to the list on the occassion of his 110th birthday, but removed Chojo Fukuhara. A google search of his name reveals only three wikipedia mirrors, and www.grg.org does not list him on their lists of supercentenarians. . If anyone can prove that he exists/is still alive, please re-add him. Canadian Paul 21:39, 6 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Oldest living males

message: In the discussion of 'top 10' or 110+, the original intent was to have a 'top 10' list, but at one point there were only 9 living cases 110+.  So, that's where the headline came from.  I guess it could be argued to include all living male cases 110+, but that's not the point.  Moreover, it's not fair to the females...do we list all the females 110+?  In fact, we instead have 'top 10 oldest persons' including two males.  So, men already get a break, being listed both ways, and getting to be included if far younger.  We still have women from 1893 not listed yet. So, I think it's more than fair to just do a 'top 10 males' list.
Also, about the UK comment...one would think that an article on Henry Allingham, plus a separate listing under living WWI veterans would be enough. Trying to make Henry fit the table instead of vice versa is putting the cart before the horse.  If he lives long enough, he'll make the table naturally.  What, do you think the UK is 'crippled' and needs a 'crutch' (affirmative action standards) to be included?  You don't think Mr Allingham can compete with the rest of the world?  Think about it.  Finally, one would hope that people would be a little less self-centered and parochial, and try to learn about other people around the world instead of just those in their area. Finally, you don't know if Mr Allingham is really next in line or not, do you?  Another male might be born between the current #10 and Mr Allingham.  Think about it.
P.S.: the issue with me is not really the UK per se, but things being blown out of proportion.  Again, there are 9 women in the UK older than Mr Allingham (including Emmeline Brice, 111; Nellie Fields, 111; Annie Knight, 111).  I think it is regretttable that women are once again related to second-class citizens...being ignored while the 'alpha males' are placed front and center, breaking the rules to get there. → R Young {yakłtalk} 12:52, 14 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Top 10 or 110+

message: Greetings,
It should be noted that the United States is ONE country, not 50 separate entities.  It's one thing to label states, but the 'USA' label SHOULD be included.  To not do so promotes a false view that Tennesee, for example, is a separate nation. It also divides the USA cases up so as to make the USA appear less substantial. If we can do Miyazaki, Japan why not Tennessee, USA? → R Young {yakłtalk} 12:54, 14 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: USA labeling

message: There is NO reason to delete the links to articles like 'supercentenarians' and 'centenarians' while inserting silly links to inanimate objects like 'oldest companies'.  For someone supposedly responsible, these edits are a waste of time and childish. → R Young {yakłtalk} 09:56, 16 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Will people like DOCU stop vandalizing the links?