Posted on 08/28/2008 10:35:51 AM PDT by Schnucki
An obituary of very-much-alive Apple founder Steve Jobs has been accidentally published by the respected Bloomberg business news wire.
The story, marked Hold for release Do not use, was sent in error to the news services thousands of corporate clients.
The stock obituary was published "momentarily" after a routine update by a reporter, and was "immediately deleted", Bloomberg said.
Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003, but there is no suggestion that the news wire has recent news on his health. Most media organisations regularly update their pre-prepared obituaries of newsworthy figures.
The obituary contained blank spaces for Jobss age and cause of death to be inserted.
The opening sentence described Jobs as the man who helped make personal computers as easy to use as telephones, changed the way animated films are made, persuaded consumers to tune into digital music and refashioned the mobile phone.
The 2,500-word piece also included praise for Jobs from his rival Microsoft boss Bill Gates, details of his rise from college drop-out to technology billionaire, and a list of his family survivors.
Details of friends and colleagues of the Apple founder to be contacted by Bloomberg in the event of his death were also published with the obituary.
Bloomberg, which was founded by New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and prides itself on its accuracy and transparency, later published a note acknowledging the story's retraction on its wire.
An incomplete story referencing Apple Inc. was inadvertently published by Bloomberg News at 4:27 p.m.New York time today, the message read.
The item was never meant for publication and has been retracted.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
If the stock price collapses can I sue?
I know someone who’s going to hold a hilarious press conference tonight...
“Ladies and gentlemen, I realize the latest versions of the iPhone have had their problems, but reports of my death are greatly...”
Following the constant false reports on Jobs’ poor health, I don’t find this an accident.
Apple is hurting the sales of it’s competitors and this is the result.
Wanna bet Bill Gates was behind the faux obit? ooooops!
Did you read that obit, Steve? I can fill those blanks in, for you...
But it doesn't have to happen - here's a bank deposit slip, I've already filled in the amount for you...
If I’m not mistaken, Gene Upshaw, former Oakland Raiders great and head of the NFL Players Association, found out he had pancreatic cancer just a few days before he died. Terrible disease and total remission is apparently rare. Jobs is a very lucky man, and probably doing his best to enjoy every day of his life. As a fan of Apple products, I’m glad that his enjoyment includes leading Apple.
The incidence of pancreatic cancer among people who long ago stopped smoking is terrifying.
thought you might like to see this.
I haven’t followed the reports, false or otherwise, but my understanding is that the prognosis for pancreatic cancer is usually very poor. For one thing, by the time it is diagnosed it is usually well advanced into Stage III or Stage IV..... Don’t know any specifics related to Jobs, but it is quite possible that the situation is worse than he or Apple are letting on.
Many advances in treating pancreatic cancer.
We have a friend who had his pancreas removed over a year ago. He is on many meds but living a pretty good life.
Many are living well having had treatments of varying kinds.
That is wonderful to hear..... I am a cancer survivor but haven’t been around the oncology wards for some years..... never used to hear anything positive about pancreatic cancer prognoses - glad to learn that is changing!
He’ll be buried next to Abe Vigoda.
I’ll know I’ve made it big when I learn there are pre-obituaries about me out there.
Yeah, really, I'm going to have to ask all those news organizations to stop stockpiling their obituaries for me, 'cause I plan to be around for awhile..... /s
The papers & news outlets keep pre-written obituaries for pretty much all famous or infamous people with fill-in-the-blank death details.
You’re nobody till somebody has written about your death prematurely :)
I wonder if an SEC investigation would be appropriate.
"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated!" what Steve Jobs should say.
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