Cuba claims world's oldest man

[KrazyRabidSheep]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4260191.stm

Look at the picture. He looks 70-80.
Amazing

[FeArANDLoAtHiNg]

Yeah, I saw that story a while back. Pretty interesting. And don't Castro's doctors predict he'll be live to be 140, or something like that?

[CommieBastard]

I thought the current record for the oldest person ever was a woman up of 120...

[KrazyRabidSheep]

She's dead.

It mentions the "current record holder" for the oldest LIVING person (age 113), not oldest person ever


It's not class or ideology, colour, creed or roots. The only thing that unites us is Dr.Marten boots - Alexei Sayle/Radical Posture

What the hell ever happened to that show? Everyone always used to tell me I was just like Vyvyan.

[Karl Marx's Camel]

Cuba claims world's oldest man

Thu Feb 10,11:57 AM ET


http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20050209/lthumb.hav10602092033.cuba_120_years_club_hav106.j pg
Ignacio Cubilla, left, 105, from Pinar Del Rio, western Cuba and other unidentified Cubans attend a meeting of the 120 Years Club in Havana, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2005. The 120 Years Club, welcomes individuals of any age from Cuba, the only requirement being that they must want to achieve satisfactory longevity. (AP Photo/Jose Goitia)



HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba's "120 Years Club," inspired by President Fidel Castro (news - web sites) to help Cubans live to a ripe old age, has claimed one of its members as the world's oldest man at 119.


Benito Martinez Abagan actually says he was born in Haiti in 1880 and came to Cuba in 1925 to work in the sugar cane fields and build roads. But both his memory and identity document, which shows him to be 123, are questionable, say officials.


Dr. Eugenio Selman-Housein, Castro's personal physician and president of the "120 Years Club," said experts are working to determine the man's exact age.


"We are sure he is at least 119, or a bit less. That still makes him the world's oldest living man at present," Selman said on Wednesday.


According to authenticated records the world's oldest living man is a 113-year-old Puerto Rican.


A dozen Cubans over the age of 100 attended Wednesday's first meeting of the club, which aims to extend longevity in Cuba through healthier diets, moderate exercise and plenty of motivation.


Cuba has a life expectancy of 77 years, the highest among developing nations and 24th in the world. That is five years shorter than Japan, where people live longest, on average to 82.


Cuba's Communist government points to its free public health system as the main reason Cubans live longer, and the target is to raise life expectancy to 80.


Castro, 78 and the world's longest-serving political leader, encouraged Selman to start the "120 Years Club" and the membership is growing, the doctor said.


"Cuba is the only country that has all the conditions people need to live to 120 years," he said. Stem cell research under way in Cuba could extend that limit, he added.


Club geriatrics expert Enrique Vega said a good genetic mix and Cubans' cheerful outlook contributed to their longevity. But Cubans still smoke excessively, exercise too little and hardly eat vegetables and fish, so there is room for improvement, he said.


For 103-year-old Agustin Gutierrez, the secret to a long life is a productive and sexually active life. "The more I worked the stronger I got, and there were many women," he said.


http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/n...uba_longevity_2 (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050210/od_uk_nm/oukoe_cuba_longevity_2)

[LSD]

Wasn't this exact story posted yesterday?

Cuba claims 'world's oldest' man (http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php?showtopic=33443)

It's an interesting story ... but do we really need to read it twice?!? :P

[Karl Marx's Camel]

Sorry about that :P

[October Revolution]

:lol: If you look on the other thread about this the picture is of a totally different guy, fantastic. Roll on 200 :lol: Xfingers crossedX

This should hopefully help put to rest the idea that Cuba has poor quality of life for it's inhabitants. They probaly have a much better life than we in the "west" do yet theirs isn't as materialistic as ours and so seen as poorer. No crap junk food and such like to fuck up their insides.

"Mr Castro's personal physician recently said that he saw no reason why the president should not live to be 125." Thats good to hear Long live CASTRO.

[bolshevik butcher]

How did they achieve such a high life expectancy? There's parts of scotland with a lower life expectancy than that!!!!!!

[October Revolution]

Quite easily the enviromental conditions are great for human survival and Cuba being a socialist country doesn't have many things such as fast food or large amounts of alcohol abuse caused by soceity. The people eat well and live well like the guy said he never smoked and didn't drink these things will definatley impove life expectancy.
As for Scotland pretty it may be but not the nicest cleanest warmest place to live.

[Wurkwurk]

Wow...everyday my opinion of Cuba grows higher and higher. I'll bet Castro can make it up past 100 if socialism remains in Cuba, but I don't think he can actually still be the President at that age! :)

You know, after 100, it's not the easiest of things to go up in front of the national television and make a sweeping speech.

[American_Trotskyist]

Not meaning any offence to anyone, but are we sure that the Cubans aren't lying about this? I mean anyone over the age of 90 looks the same.

[cormacobear]

Castro living to 125 would sure piss off the Americans. the funniest Pol. cartoon I ever saw came out a few days after Bush got elected it Showed Castro standind with his arms crossed and tapping his foot impatiently while holding a peice of chalk. Beside him is a chalk board with the names of all the U.S. Presidents since Castro took power with their names crossed out except Bushes

[Anarchist Freedom]

For 103-year-old Agustin Gutierrez, the secret to a long life is a productive and sexually active life. "The more I worked the stronger I got, and there were many women," he said.


DAMN that mans still having sex at 103 im suprised he hasnt broken a hip yet


Thats a bit of a slap in the face to america for cuba to have the oldest living man.

[KrazyRabidSheep]

Originally posted by [email protected] 14 2005, 07:58 PM
Club geriatrics expert Enrique Vega said a good genetic mix and Cubans' cheerful outlook contributed to their longevity. But Cubans still smoke excessively, exercise too little and hardly eat vegetables and fish, so there is room for improvement, he said.
You think perhaps that's why they have a cheerful outlook?

American society is too concerned with keeping themselves healthy they overstress themselves.

That, and idiots think that cutting carbohydrates is healthy (that diet actualy KILLed it's creator)

[Spartacus2002]

that doesent suprise me when i was in cuba i was suprised how healthy everyone was. The chicks are hot too.

[SpeCtrE]

I wish che grew up to be as old as that man. Sigh

[bolshevik butcher]

Originally posted by [email protected] 17 2005, 05:18 PM
I wish che grew up to be as old as that man. Sigh
But then he wouldn't be the icon he is, you probably wouldn't have heard of him.

[Vallegrande]

Think about what the United States people eat compared to what Cuban people eat. There is pretty much a major difference. I think that Cuba's "Greening" has helped people eat more whole foods and keep themselves happy, instead of eating boxed and plastic wrapped foods, that have been processed beyond recognition, which the U.S. if full of. So I believe living so old in Cuba is now common, due to the right foods and health that the people receive.

[KrazyRabidSheep]

Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2005, 05:44 AM
Not meaning any offence to anyone, but are we sure that the Cubans aren't lying about this? I mean anyone over the age of 90 looks the same.
Yes, it is hard to tell age by looking at an old person.

This is why that one old man is being examined by specialists.

It is a fact that after 30 or so, the human body begins to "rot".
Tissues wear out faster then they can be replaced. In some circumstances they cannot be replaced (the cartiliage you have at age 20 is all you ever get. This is why old people get arthritis).

One of the most reliable examples is bone. As you age, 2 things happen.
1. "Red marrow", the blood cell producing marrow, is replaced by "yellow marrow" which is nothing but fat. Inside a bone of an old person, it is all yellow, except the ends of the bone (spongy part of the bone) where there is little red marrow. This is one reason why old people's immune systems are weak.
2. After about 30, the bones stop producing calcium. Drinking alot of milk will help you maintain the level of calcium, but you'll never have more. The body takes calcium from the bones to be used in the blood stream, to mend broken bones, and during pregnancy. Old people will have low levels of calcium in their bones. This is why an old person with a broken bone takes a while to heal.

By taking X-rays, you can see in the bones of an older person
1. A denser centre. This is the yellow marrow.
2. A thiner outline. This is because the lack of calcium, resulting in less dense bone.

A specialist can use methods such as this to pinpoint any individual's age quite accurately.

[SpeCtrE]

Originally posted by Clenched [email protected] 17 2005, 05:30 PM
But then he wouldn't be the icon he is, you probably wouldn't have heard of him.
I sure would have heard of him,

[KrazyRabidSheep]

Originally posted by Eagle+Feb 19 2005, 04:11 PM--> (Eagle @ Feb 19 2005, 04:11 PM)
Clenched [email protected] 17 2005, 05:30 PM
But then he wouldn't be the icon he is, you probably wouldn't have heard of him.
I sure would have heard of him, [/b]
How do you know?

[FistFullOfSteel]

This news i havent heard of,gotdamn Sweden.

Anyway; this is a very cool article.

[CommieBastard]

Had Che not died then that would have meant Bolivia would have been a succesful revolution.

I think under those circumstances he would stand a good chance of being even more iconic than he is... though he probably wouldnt have got that famous pic ;)

[October Revolution]

Originally posted by [email protected] 24 2005, 09:43 AM
Had Che not died then that would have meant Bolivia would have been a succesful revolution.
Thats a bit of a large assumption to make. Che masterminded the revolution in africa yet that wasn't successful, there is no way of knowing that Ches' plans in Bolivia would have worked. It could of failed entirely because of many reasons and he may have fled back to Cuba, you can't know.

[CommieBastard]

True, but was i being entirely serious? Can anyone actually be serious when talking about 'what ifs'?

[October Revolution]

Well no i doubt anyone can be totally serious because there is no way to know yet this was still a rather large assumption to make. Ofcourse it doesn't really matter whats done is done.