FLASH! - Worlds oldest Living Person Dies!

Really?

This story is amazing to me for the following reasons:

1 - It happens once a week, it's not news.
2 - Flash? It was kind of expected, right?
3 - The oldest living person only holds the title for a week at a time - big deal.

You know, the Media has really decided that we're stupid. A "News Alert" used to mean something, but today it's a graphic meant to pull us to the TV and a story that doesn't rise to the level of a "News Alert" from the 70's or 80's.

So here's the reality. The Worlds Oldest Living Person dies on average, once every week or so. It's not like the person held the crown for years, was a celebrity or someone that we knew. Sure it's interesting, especially if they took a shot of Tequila everyday or smoked like a chimney, but that only happens once or twice a year, and if that is the case, they are usually from West Virginia.

Generally, the person is a woman, lived in a remote village somewhere on the planet, and their husband died 40 years ago. You rarely see this person residing in Las Vegas. I'm sure there is a lesson here.

My issue is that as they recap the life story of these people that we don't hear that they were a test-pilot in the 60's, was a groupie for Lawrence Welk, toured with the Dead or started the first brothel in King County in the 40's.

Instead, we hear that they ate oatmeal every morning or treated themselves with a scoop of Rocky Road Ice Cream every night, before hitting the sack at sunset. Alone.

I value longevity. I have recently decided that I want to live to 100, and I appreciate hearing how these folks lived their lives, but let's dial down the hype a bit.

It's not a News Alert.

Unless they lived in Vegas, took a shot of Tequila everyday, was married 7 times, carried a gun, owned a bong and had never visited a Whole Foods Store in their life. That's a story.

That's all I have to say about that.