Does Blogging Kill You?

There appeared a recent story in the New York Times by Matt Ritchel telling about how the stress of blogging killed three people. Perhaps you read his article about how The stress of blogging can kill you. Apparently a couple of guys Russell and Marc Orchant who were bloggers died and another guy who also blogged had a heart attack.

And so because of these three people who happened coincidentally to be bloggers are not faring so well physically, then .... blogging kills. I can't think of anything more far fetched, and ... well... dumb.

I'll just bet I could find three airline pilots that had some health issues recently due to "the stress of flying." There are plenty of doctors who drop dead of a heart attack. Does that mean that we should be aware of "the stress of practicing medicine?"

Writing a blog can be stressful. Well at least for some bloggers I guess. But I can easily think of a lot of jobs that are much more stressful. How about policemen? They joke to each other about how working as a policeman sure beats having a job. But believe me, it is nothing but stress out there. Yes, they get paid quite a bit of money, but... is constantly worrying about being shot not a great stress? I should think so. Ditto with the people who work in the armed forces. Isn't seeing your buddies whom you love and work with get blown to smithereens by a bomb pretty stressful?

I used to work. Work IS stress. There are certain jobs I just don't think I would like to do. Cleaning out sewer systems. Shoveling horse and cow manure. Being a stunt double and falling down stairs or jumping out of tall buildings.

Having a dumb boss is very stressful. Not only do you and he both know that he doesn't have a clue (well, maybe he really doesn't know) but if you don't do what he tells you to do no matter how ridiculous or stupid, he can fire you. And even if you do exactly what he tells you to, and it turns out to be the wrong thing to do... you get fired. Now that is stress.

How about getting up in front of large crowds and speaking? Isn't that stressful? Some people seem to think so.

Rush hour traffic can be a stressor. That idiot ahead of you who is cutting traffic and almost hits you. That sure stresses me out.

Listen folks, I do not think you can avoid stress. My little old crazy lady I was taking care of was stressed out because the neighbors were "Bothering" her. I told her, "Eve (not her real name) how could the neighbors possibly be bothering you? You have not been outside of this house in weeks. Why the neighbors don't even know you are here. They are ignoring you completely!!"

"THAT is how they are getting to me. By ignoring me."

People who work in all types of jobs are dying everyday. But that does not mean that their jobs kill them. Unless of course they are Marines, or Army or Highway Patrol or something. But I really cannot blame blogging for killing anybody. Come on folks... blogging???

Hey, I suppose there are some people addicted to computers who stay up so long online that they eventually wither away and die. I suppose it happens. But... can you blame computing for their death? I don't think so.

Folks, I guess if you do anything long enough... (maybe 80 or 90 years) it can kill you. But if you do NOTHING for 80 or 90 years, you are going to die anyway. So let us get real here. Blogging is not going to kill you. And reading blogs won't either. Or at least I hope it doesn't.

If reading this blog kills you, please write and tell me about it.

Let us get real,

David A. Youngs

Johnny's new blog, and other thoughts.

Hey folks, Johnny Bond, (Yes, the PhotoShop specialist that put clouds behind my head in the photo to the right) has finally begun to think about writing his own blog.

His new blog will be called "A Life in the World of Johnny." Or maybe it is "A World in the Life of Johnny." Whatever.... When he gets his first blog up and running, I will tell you all about where to go to read it.

I keep getting advertisements in my email box for FREE information on how to make thousands of dollars a week with blogs. I check these out, and invariably they want to SELL me a system to make thousands of dollars a month with my blog. It seems to me that THIS is how to make a lot of money. I need to find a way to swallow my pride and sell an you am ebook on how YOU can make thousands of dollars a month with YOUR blog. And you can send me $1000's of dollars to find out how I made thousands of dollars.... Hmmmm??? And if enough people buy my ebook, then I will have made the thousands of dollars.

Hey.... Did you realize that if enough people vote for Obama in the election coming up, the good old USA might just become an OBAMANATION??? This (pun/play on words) is original with me. Please give me credit if you use it. Just mention my name.... David A. Youngs, and send people a link to this (my) blog: http://polybids.blogspot.com Thanks. I need my 15 minutes of fame.

I was talking to a friendly stranger at a restaurant today. He said this was the first presidential election where he felt that rather than voting FOR any candidate, instead he had to vote AGAINST candidates. I think he is voting ABC (Anybody But Clinton).

Just this evening on the talk radio program Money Talk I heard the moderator really chew out Barrack Obama for his ideas on how to overhaul Social Security. He said that if Obama enacted his new ideas, every entrepreneur would be taxed at the incredible rate of 65 %. I might be off a percentage point or two, but the main thrust of his comments was that this was the worst idea he had ever heard of bar none. Nobody would work very long if 65% of all their earnings were taxed away from them. No new jobs would be created because no new small businesses would be formed. I hope this doesn't happen. Small businesses employ the majority of people. And all big businesses that employ the rest were once small businesses too.

I challenge any of you fine readers to show me even a single instance of even one country or nation that taxed itself into prosperity. You won't be able too. Taxes don't make a country prosperous. They tend to make it poor. People won't work if they do not get any direct benefit from their work. Communism has proved this point over and over. When there is no incentive to work, nobody works. Nobody produces much of anything. And why should they? Especially if they get taxed to death.

When taxes are repealed, the economy grows at a rapid pace. Raise the taxes and the economy goes into a recession. Guess which one has been happening lately???

Well, I gotta run.

Think before you act.

David A. Youngs

Modern Psalm of David (me)

I praise my God

Today I praise Him for the sunshine
that finally follows after rain.
I praise Him for the loving Spirit
that heals my heartache after pain.

There is a pathway He lays before me
a long and narrow winding road
That leads at last into His kingdom
where I may enter in the fold.

And if I choose to walk that pathway
to take my cross and follow Him
He will fill me with His Spirit.
Yes nothing more I need but Him.

So today I praise His tender mercies
and recall His constant care
For my Redeemer is so awesome
and I know He's always there.

dayo 04-03-2008

Using Windows Live Writer

Hi folks, I am trying out this new program I just downloaded from MicroSoft called Windows Live Writer or just Live Writer for short.

So far it has a lot of appeal to me because it enables me to insert a lot of html special coded things like a hyperlink or a map or even a video. A VIDEO???

This just might turn out to be very interesting. I even have a video I just might insert some time. The only thing I can see that it is missing is the TAGS section that appears when I am writing the blog from my usual blogging program.

When I first set it up, Live Writer asked if I already had a blog. When I told it yes, Blog Writer asked only for the URL. Then it downloaded all kinds of things automatically. It even had a few pictures already to use that I had used previously.

This is my first time using Windows Live Writer and it will take a little getting used to. I actually writes in what appears to be the column of the blog. And I guess it has the ability to add additional plug ins to make itself even more adaptable. I am not sure what I am supposed to do if I want to create a new blog on a different blog site or even my own site. I guess I will find out in time. Life is all a big experiment, and this is an experiment too.

Sincerely,

David A. Youngs

Crazy People IV

Note: the names have been changed to protect the guilty and the crazy.

Will the craziness ever end? One evening my telephone rang. It was Adam.


"I need your help. My wife Eve is in jail."

"What!? What happened?"

"Well, it is all a big mistake. Eve and I were fighting and she beat me up. Then she threatened to kill herself and I called 911. The police showed up and after they questioned us both, they hauled her off to jail."

"Why did they do that?"


"Well, she did not deny she had hit me, and I have a small scratch on my forehead. So they took her off to jail. She is being charged with a felony, and her bail is set at $50,000. You gotta help me."


"Well, I don't have any money. You promised me you would not call 911 any more. Remember the last time you did that, the police came over and wanted to see Eve? She wasn't there, and the police came back during dinner and demanded to see her to see if she was alive. You promised me you would not call 911 any more."


"What am I supposed to do when Eve threatens to kill herself?"


"You might just try talking her out of it. Every time you call 911, the police get involved. Haven't you figured that out yet? By the way, what were you and Eve fighting about any way?

"Oh, I don't know. I might have mentioned to her that I no longer loved her and that I loved our next door neighbor much more than I ever loved her. And then she just up and hit me!!"

"Hmmmm. I wonder why....."

"Okay. But what do I do now that Eve is in jail?"

"You might try waiting and seeing what happens."

"Oh, I can't do THAT. I am responsible for Eve being in jail, and I have to get her out."

"All right. So what do you think you are going to do?"

"I am going to call the district attorney right now and tell him what a big mistake has been made."

"Adam!! I am not sure that is such a good idea. You haven't done real well in calling people lately. It might be better to wait a while."

"Oh, I can't wait. No!! I am going to call the district attorney right now. Bye."

And with that bit of news, Adam was no longer on the line.

I waited about two hours and called Adam back.

"Hey Adam, how are things going?"

"Just terrible. Did I tell you my wife Eve is in jail?"

"Yes... about two hours ago you told me that Adam. Are you okay?"

"Well, I am okay. But I put Eve in jail. It is my fault. And the district attorney won't talk to me."

"Hmmmm. Why doesn't that suprise me? Why don't you get some sleep and call me back in the morning."

"Okay David, but I did get ahold of the district attorney's secretary. She says she doesn't know anything about the case yet. They don't even have the paper work yet."

"Look Adam, there is NOTHING more you can do right now. Why don't you go to bed and go to sleep?"

"My wife Eve is not going to sleep. She is in JAIL!!! And it is all my fault. I feel like going out and killing myself. But then who will feed the cats?"

"Okay Adam, I see your point. Why don't you just stay up all night. Then you will be in real good shape to face tomorrow."

"Oh I don't know David. I am so tired. I think I might go to sleep."

"Well if that is what you really want to do Adam. I will leave that decision with you. YAWN... I know I am really tired Adam. I am going to bed now. Goodbye."

When I woke up in the morning, there were several messages on my voice mail. Guess who they were from? They were of course from Adam. So I called him.

"Adam, this is David. What are the visiting hours so my wife and I can go and visit your wife in jail?"

"I don't know David. I will have to get back to you on that. The secretary to the district attorney said she will call me back just as soon as she gets any information on my wife's case. I have to stay right by the phone in case she calls."

"Well, Okay Adam. It sounds like things are all under control."

"But my dear wife Eve is in JAIL!!!"

"Yes, we have already covered that. She is in jail. I know that Adam."

"But you don't understand David. It is my fault she is there. I was the one that called 911. Then the police came and took her to jail. I feel like hanging myself. What am I going to do?"

"You are going to wait for the secretary of the district attorney to call you on the telephone. That is what you are going to do Adam."

"Oh yeah. Right. David, I have to go. She might be calling me right now."

"Okay Adam. Call me back when you find out the visiting hours, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Goodbye."

Several hours went bye. Adam did not call. Finally I felt like I should call just to see if he was still alive.

"Hello Adam. Hey, did you ever find out when visiting hours are? My wife and I would like to visit Eve in jail and encourage her."

"Oh I don't know when the visiting hours are. But you can't visit her in jail. She is OUT!! It was a miracle. The district attorney's secretary called finally. They had just gotten the paper work. I told her it was all a big mistake. I was NOT pressing charges. She finally asked me what I wanted to do. I told her, 'drop the charges against Eve.' And so she did. And now Eve is out and is on her way home on the bus. It is a miracle I tell you. A miracle."

"Wow. That is great news Adam. And you did not have to post bail or anything."

"No. I think Eve is coming in right now. David, Eve is home. I gotta go."

"Just don't call 911 any more Adam."

"Oh, I know better than that. I won't. I gotta run David. Eve is HOME!!!"

Later I called back and talked briefly with Eve. She had a rough night in jail. Nobody threatened her and she was treated real nice by everybody, but still she was in JAIL!! And she vomited everytime she ate anything because she was so stressed out. She was glad to be back home with Adam, and hoping that they could work things out.

Why do I think that there may be some more adventures before they get everything all "worked out?"

People are acting crazy.
Try to act like you are sane.

David A. Youngs