O ano de 2015 me faz lembrar que minha falecida mãe nasceu há cem anos. Ao viver 94 anos ela superou em muito a expectativa de vida das pessoas que nasceram cem anos atrás. Como não tenho ideia de qual era a expectativa de vida de um brasileiro nascido em Pelotas no início do século passado, valho-me de dados americanos que me deixaram boquiaberto.

Vejamos:

The first gas station in the world (GULF Petroleum). On December 1, 1913, Gulf Refining Company opened a new type of retail store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Designed expressly for the purpose of selling gasoline as a fuel for motorists, the kiosk-like building was also the first architect-designed fueling station, and the first to distribute free road maps to drivers. - See more at: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/12/01/the-modern-gas-station-celebrates-its-100th-birthday/#sthash.kHVyW9dU.dpuf

THE YEAR IS 1914 - One hundred years ago. What a difference a century makes! Here are some statistics for the year 1914:

1. The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
2. Fuel for this car was sold in drug stores only.
3. Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
4. Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
5. There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads.
6. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
7. The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
8. The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.
9. The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
10. A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
11. More than 95 percent of all births took place at home ..
12. Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."
13. Sugar cost four cents a pound.
14. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
15. Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
16. Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
17. Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
18. The FIVE leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza.
2. Tuberculosis.
3. Diarrhea.
4. Heart disease.
5. Stroke.

19. The American flag had 45 stars.
20. The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!
21. Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.
22. There was neither a Mother's Day nor a Father's Day.
23. Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
24. Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores.
25. Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is a perfect guardian of health!" (Shocking?)
26. Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
27. There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. !

You are now probably going to forward this to someone else without typing it yourself.  From there, it will be sent to others all over the WORLD - all in a matter of seconds!

Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.

Have an excellent day.