Death by blogging: Open thread

Submitted by James on Sun, 04/06/2008 - 10:54am.

The front-page of the New York Times today features a scary story about obsessive blogging.

Two weeks ago in North Lauderdale, Fla., funeral services were held for Russell Shaw, a prolific blogger on technology subjects who died at 60 of a heart attack. In December, another tech blogger, Marc Orchant, died at 50 of a massive coronary. A third, Om Malik, 41, survived a heart attack in December.

Other bloggers complain of weight loss or gain, sleep disorders, exhaustion and other maladies born of the nonstop strain of producing for a news and information cycle that is as always-on as the Internet.

To be sure, there is no official diagnosis of death by blogging, and the premature demise of two people obviously does not qualify as an epidemic. There is also no certainty that the stress of the work contributed to their deaths. But friends and family of the deceased, and fellow information workers, say those deaths have them thinking about the dangers of their work style.

No tech blogging for me. I'll be out pulling weeds today.

loftT's picture

For the life of me, I can't figure out

Submitted by loftT on Sun, 04/06/2008 - 11:18am.

what they are trying to accomplish in this scenario.

A study, written for U.S. Special Operations Command, suggested "clandestinely recruiting or hiring prominent bloggers."

Since the start of the Iraq war, there's been a raucous debate in military circles over how to handle blogs -- and the servicemembers who want to keep them. One faction sees blogs as security risks, and a collective waste of troops' time. The other (which includes top officers, like Gen. David Petraeus and Lt. Gen. William Caldwell) considers blogs to be a valuable source of information, and a way for ordinary troops to shape opinions, both at home and abroad.

wired blog network

loftT's picture

The Bush-Hitler Connection

Submitted by loftT on Sun, 04/06/2008 - 12:13pm.

I know you all know this stuff already but seeing it in this video form is still quite sobering.

brasscheck tv link

Kosh's picture

Well, there is certainly no chance

Submitted by Kosh on Sun, 04/06/2008 - 1:48pm.

That a mainstream member of the press will die from "overwork".

Liberalism as a badge of honor!
No apologies, no excuses.

Pam Spaulding's picture

my take on the blogging article

Submitted by Pam Spaulding on Sun, 04/06/2008 - 2:52pm.

As someone holding a full-time day job and running a just-about-full time political blog, I have no clue how I can continue at this pace, so the article didn't surprise me; at least the interviewees are actually paid to blog, lol. Most of us don't have that luxury. My post here.

--
Pam Spaulding
Durham, NC USA

Pam's House Blend
www.pamshouseblend.com

nctodc's picture

Michelle Obama Visits WSSU, NCSU

Submitted by nctodc on Sun, 04/06/2008 - 4:02pm.

Get your tickets now:

Michelle Obama will visit Raleigh and Winston-Salem on Tuesday.

The first event will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Winston-Salem State University. The second will be at 7:30 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum at N.C. State in Raleigh.

Doors open at both events an hour before the start time.

Free tickets are available at nc.barackobama.com.

h/t Under the Dome

----
There are people in every time and every land who want to stop history in its tracks. They fear the future, mistrust the present, and invoke the security of the comfortable past which, in fact, never existed. - Robert F. Kennedy

This'll make you mad

Submitted by James on Sun, 04/06/2008 - 4:25pm.

Just one more legacy of Republican incompetence.

gregflynn's picture

Breath

Submitted by gregflynn on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 8:21am.

There are some physiological issues with constant computer use. There is the obvious eye strain, carpal tunnel syndrome and posture related pain. The stress of needing to be up to the minute all the time is more associated with blogging and other deadline activities.

More recently it has become known that sitting almost motionless at a keyboard , especially crouched over so your lungs can't expand, results in shallow breathing and sometimes holding one's breath while reading, what one writer calls "email apnea". Reduced oxygen intake is obviously not healthy.

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

BlueNCtv

Thanks, LoftT. This is hilarious.

TrueMeckDem on Myers Park Pat

"My opinion of Pat has changed over the years. I used to think he was truly a man of the people but the longer he has been mayor, the less I think of him.

As with most cities, Charlotte has three political parties: Dem, Rep, and Chamber of Commerce. Pat is definitely the puppet of the COC here. What is good for business is good for Charlotte and Pat ... very personable guy, he has gotten a bunch of Dems in these parts to vote for him but I don't trust him."

Join the discussion here.