Transplanted cornea in use for record 123 years

OSLO (Reuters Life!) – Bernt Aune’s transplanted cornea has been in use for a record 123 years — since before the Eiffel Tower was built.

“This is the oldest eye in Norway — I don’t know if it’s the oldest in the world,” Aune, an 80-year-old Norwegian and former ambulance driver, told Reuters by telephone on Thursday. “But my vision’s not great any longer.”

He had a cornea transplanted into his right eye in 1958 from the body of an elderly man who was born in June 1885. The operation was carried out at Namsos Hospital, mid-Norway.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the oldest living organ in the world,” eye doctor Hasan Hasanain at Namsos hospital told the Norwegian daily Verdens Gang.

In the 1950s, doctors expected it to work for just five years, Hasanain said. Such cornea operations date back to the early 20th century and were among the first successful transplants.

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Bag of Randomness

  • Baconnaise anyone?  Link
  • I found a pretty darn cool website, MTV Music.com.  From my understanding, it’s every music video they have played at your fingertips which you can embed in high quality.  I found it interesting checking out their Most Viewed and Top Rated videos since they range from the past to present.  And I also discovered when you search via artist it includes Pop Up Videos and MTV News clips.  I spent wayyyyy too much time on this website but thoroughly enjoy my trip down memory lane.
  • Speaking of the past, thanks to the Internet Rick Astley’s career is starting to bud again, he’ll be performing at MTV’s European Music Awards on Nov 6.  Link
  • 28% of Kentucky Republicans Believe Obama Is Muslim  Link
  • The New Mexico Sun newspaper is jinxing Obama.  Link It reminds of when the Boston paper were accepting preorders for the perfect season books they were putting together last year for the Pats.
  • Obama’s infomerical will air on all the major networks but ABC tonight and he’ll be on The Daily Show.
  • Inside McCain’s home.  Link
  • I don’t like spiders.  Link
  • I have never eaten a popcorn ball.
  • I always feel like I have to watch the Charlie Brown specials.
  • But after watching the special I start to realize they are a little over-rated.
  • Back in the day I bet I watched those specials only because it was a cartoon in prime time.
  • Liberal media?  Link
  • I was helping a girl at work with her Halloween costume and actually had to tell her to shake her tail feather for a legitimate reason.
  • Those over 40 may not get that last reference.
  • The lifespan of romance is two years, six months, and 25 days.  Link
  • Interesting book title about Dallas Christian women.  Newsweek
  • The ol’ election moved to Nov 5th trick.  Link
  • I found out that Jason’s Deli was founded in Beaumont, TX.  It just seems weird to know that a deli was founded in Texas, but it’s good stuff.
  • Robocop on a Unicorn.  Link
Posted in Goofy | 4 Comments

Bag of Randomness

  • Yup, this is all you get today.  Southwest threw a Texas size party and I was one of about 10,000 partying the night away.
  • SisterGeeding was riding in a cab in NYC when a woman talking on her cell phone (and not on a hands free device per NY law) did a hit an run.  Of course that lady happened to be driving an Acura.  Thankfully, SisterGeeding is OK.
  • Why on earth would you allow an 8-year-old boy to shoot an uzi? Link
  • Here’s the link to the gunshow’s website, and here’s their flyer.
  • Peter King mentioned in his MMQB column that he will have a story in this week’s Sports Illustrated about what Wade Phillips did to jazz up the Dallas D. Could be worth reading, I just hope it’s also available online. Phillips won’t admit it, but defensive coordinator Brian Stewart’s defensive calling days are over, this is, if Phillips wants to keep his job.
  • Speaking of Peter King, this is the second time in a year he’s mentioned the Coppell Deli that’s about a mile from my house. Since he’s my favorite sports writer (sorry Bill Simmons, you lost me with all your damn Boston talk) I think it would be cool to run into him one day at this place. Only problem is, I never eat there because I think it’s a little over-rated. For his reference to the Coppell Deli, see the “Enjoyable/Aggrivating Travel Note of the Week” section here.  Later today he’s going to have an article about the new stadium.
  • I don’t live in Coppell, I live a stone throw from it in Lewisville and Denton County with the cheaper taxes. It’s the Coppell lifestyle with a Lewisville address and much more cheaper.
  • I did give some out-of-towners directions to get to the Coppell Deli once. They flew in from California and were on their way to their first ever Cowboy game and wanted to eat at this ‘legendary’ place. Glad I could help out.
  • Mel Gibson’s church has a lot of money.  Link
  • Forgetful
  • An absolutely crazy anti McCain Palin display.  Link
  • Cabbage Patch Obama.  Link
  • Cabbage Patch Palin.  Link And Cabbage Patch McCain  Link
  • Make up artist for McCain costs a lot.  Link
  • Puppy beats up lion.  Link
  • The news yesterday about the men conspiring to kill Obama is scary, but the subject of a black presidential candidate or presidential assassination is one I think many think about but are afraid to talk about it.  I imagine the Secret Service are working like crazy to protect Obama.
  • Replacing stool saves a life.  Link
  • I bought this micro Bluetooth adapter over the weekend.  I thought the price was pretty darn good.
  • Major power down happens when a John Cornyn for Senate commercial comes one. I never thought the sound of a slow strumming guitar would cause me to feel nausea so often. There’s one thing about those commercials that causes me to pause . . . they are all in black and white and he’s always wearing a black cowboy hat. [YouTube] In black and white westerns, didn’t the bad guy always wear the black hat?  At least it’s better than his Big John commercials.
  • Newspaper political endorsements always make stop and think. I always thought the news was supporse to be unbiased, and I wonder who makes the decision to speak for the entire publication and wonder if that causes any animosity within the organization. Locally, I think it’s interesting that the Dallas Morning News has endorsed McCain and the Fort Worth Star Telegram endorsed Obama. If anything, I would have thunk it to be the other way around regarding their demographics.
  • I had a very homophobic friend that I worked with on the paint crew in college. On one hot sunny day we were told to paint a pipe fence off campus near the horse stables. I decided to take my shirt off (no need to cue the Brokeback music) not only too cool off, but I didn’t want any funky tan lines and he decided to follow. Of course the sun got the best of us and we got burnt really bad on our backs, but I decided to apply lotion several times daily for the next couple of days to help me heal – I was pretty limber back in those days and could apply lotion to all of my back all by myself. After a few days he saw me at lunch and asked if I was itchy from the sun burn and dead skin because it’s been driving him crazy. I told him about the lotion and he made some girly man comment. Later that evening I was in my dorm room all by myself watching TV when he comes rushing through the door with a bottle of lotion in hand, turns around and locks the door profusely and says, “I need you to rub lotion on my back. I’m dying here, I can’t take the itching any longer. I’m at your mercy. Please don’t tell anyone about this.”
  • There’s a young white couple I know that are adopting a baby from Vietnam. This will be their first child. It’s not that they can’t have children, it’s just they feel called to adopt a child from Vietnam at this very point in time. you can read about there decision here. There’s been a lot of road blocks along the way, but somehow they have overcame them all and are in the process of raising money for the trip over there. To raise said funds, they are selling a pretty groovy t-shirt that my Vietnamese born and adopted sister totally adores. I know I have several readers that have some Vietnamese church ties, and this shirt would make a very nice gift, perhaps for Christmas. The shirts are $20 and bought here.
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