Steve Jobs Obituary Accidentally Published - Oopsie

What would you do if you were declared dead, but not actually dead? It may sound like the storyline of your average run-of-the-mill, low budget horror flick. Actually it sounds like my unscripted life a couple years ago when I was struck by a drunk driver on my sportbike and declared dead on the scene. Fortunately for me and a few others, despite being declared dead, we are actually alive and kicking! Such is the case for Apple CEO Steve Jobs. After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003, Steve Jobs seemed to be doing well - looking healthy and carrying on with his Mac duties. However, in recent months, rumors began swarming about his rapid decline in health. Photos shot from 2007-2008 show two very different Steve Jobs. One of a healthy and robust Jobs. And the other of a frail and gaunt Jobs. The media began reporting that the Apple CEO was most likely looking to retire due to health issues. Of course Apple fans took that as a sign that his cancer had returned and Steve Jobs was dying! Shortly after, a Steve Jobs obituary was published!

The story, marked "Hold for release - Do not use", was sent in error to thousands of corporate clients. The stock obituary was published momentarily after a routine update by a reporter and was immediately deleted. The obituary, which has been obtained by a US gossip blog, contained blank spaces for Jobs’s 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.

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. The message read..."An incomplete story referencing Apple Inc. was inadvertently published by Bloomberg News. The item was never meant for publication and has been retracted." A Bloomberg spokeswoman said: "This was a routine update of a biography by the obits department, meant for the internal system and not meant for publication. It was momentarily posted on the external wire, in error, and immediately deleted."

Jobs has been reluctant to publicly discuss his health, but recently denied claims that his cancer had returned. And today I want to set the record straight. I want to squash all the rumors and let you know exactly why Steve Jobs has lost so much weight, why he was a no-show for Macworld this year, and whether or not it’s true that he will be leaving Apple. These are the facts...

Steve Jobs is undergoing treatment for a "hormone imbalance" discovered as the cause of his mysterious weight loss, although he will continue to lead Apple as CEO. He decided to not attend Macworld this year to focus on getting his health back on track. Other than that, he is doing just fine. So no, Steve Jobs is not dead and is not dying. In a letter published on Apple’s website, Jobs said he was taking the unusual step in discussing his condition, because of the flurry of rumors about his health and stories being published about him on his deathbed.

In closing, Jobs had this to say..."I will be the first one to step up and tell our board of directors if I can no longer continue to fulfill my duties as Apple's CEO. I hope the Apple community will support me in my recovery and know that I will always put what is best for Apple first."

I for one wish him nothing but the best and hope he gets well soon. Long live Steve Jobs! And long live the iMac, the iPod, and the iPhone. I wish no harm to Steve Jobs, but I do wish death on his patent black mock turtleneck. A mock turtleneck? Seriously? Didn't they stop selling those things back in 1989? Sorry Steve, but it's time to put that shirt to bed. You may be a geek at heart, but you still have a cool guy image to uphold.

***UPDATE***
As of 1/14/09, Steve Jobs has announced he is taking a medical leave of absence from Apple. The leave is only temporary until his health improves, but many are saying there is a good chance he will not return to Apple.