quote:A WEST NYACK, N.Y. MAN was found dead at his computer apparently the victim of trying to keep up with too many professional forums. Childress H. Wanamaker, 54, an account executive at a New York-based new media company, died of starvation according to the West Nyack coroner's office. Wanamaker's emaciated body was found by Loraine, his wife of 26 years, who told MediaPost she had been bringing her husband meals on plastic trays for weeks, but that he never took the time to eat them.
"He was glued to his computer 24/7," she said tearfully. "He was so afraid he was going to miss an opportunity to contribute a comment or start a discussion, that he just stopped eating." She added that Wanamaker's last words were "OK Picard, stick that in your pipe and smoke it..."
Computer forensic specialists from SUNY at Cortland discovered that Wanamaker was subscribed to 48 different forums and networking communities including one apparently having to do with the elderly called "oldtimers" and another apparently limited to just 100 people. They also found that he posted a comment into one forum or another on an average of two per minute every hour of the day for the past seven weeks.
"He felt under terrible pressure to be part of the online community," said his son, Lucian, who says he tried several times to get his father's attention and lure him away from the computer. "The only time he even looked up was when I told him I had seen Dane Madsen trying to steal his car out of the driveway."
Police found what appeared to be an organization chart taped to the wall of Wanamaker's den with lines linking small photos of people unknown to the police including a Tom Hespos and an Adam Boettiger. Neither is considered a suspect in Wanamaker's death.
"Once, I thought I had him," said Lucian Wanamaker, "when I said that mom had made cookies, but half out of his chair, he just sat back down mumbling something about two Roman gods; I believe it was Jupiter and Atlas having some sort of titanic battle. 'Let them eat PIE,' he bellowed banging on his keyboard."
Computer forensic specialists reported that there was no order or continuity to Wanamaker's forum postings. "It looks like he just sort of randomly commented on whatever was in the discussion string at the time," said Stephen Hall, CUNY-Cortland adjunct professor of intemperate and impulsive behavior. "He let nothing go by unchallenged by his own point of view, nor failed to respond to any other community member asking for advice or a new job. This consumed not only 24 hours a day, but also, apparently, his physical health."
In what must be a record, Wanamaker was linked into to over 15,250 other community members, many of whom he exchanged notes with daily. He also contributed to 375 blogs and was expected to start an online column about the impact of interactive communications on health, when he died.
A virtual memorial service will be held online at a date to be determined.
This is... ridiculous. I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but yikes!
Supposedly this is one of his profiles. I'm not positive being as that there are posts from the 29th on the account, but still.
quote: "He was glued to his computer 24/7," she said tearfully. "He was so afraid he was going to miss an opportunity to contribute a comment or start a discussion, that he just stopped eating." She added that Wanamaker's last words were "OK Picard, stick that in your pipe and smoke it..."
I feel like a horrible person for saying this, but that's pretty funny. And yet sad at the same time. *wonders if that guy ever posted on Hatrack*
Posts: 4174 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Come on, you KNOW we have a few of this type of poster here...if he wasn't registered here, he probably lived for a few weeks longer than if he had been...
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That's just terribly sad. To have a family and completely ignore them for total strangers. I only ignore my hubby when he ticks me off and the baby won't let me ignore her!
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I honestly don't know of the authenticity of it. It could be a joke or not, either way, still creepy to imagine.
Posts: 1831 | Registered: Jan 2003
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It's not even that straight-faced. I checked the link to make sure it wasn't from the Onion, because it had that....um...flavor. *giggles to self* Ahem.
It's good that it is commentary because I DID laugh at it, especially the part about the schedule taped to the wall.
Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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It's not even straight-faced. The fact that the article goes on to name specific individuals and make in-jokes -- "let them eat PIE" -- indicates that it was written for the amusement of a specific audience. It's clearly satire.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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I think every single online message board had SOMEONE post that article in comparison to a member with a ridiculously high post count. I myself got named on one board, but in no way could I match this Tom's legendary feats.
I salute thee, Tom.
Although I need to ask if those post counts are fake. 22K a day? Thats more than one per minute. Thats not possible...
Posts: 13 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I feel compelled to point out that while I may have the highest post count of any individual under the same screen name, there are at least two other people here who, by my reckoning, have not only been here less time but passed 20,000 posts some time ago when you take their multiple login names into account.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Maybe I've just been hanging around Snopes too long, but I was skeptical from the outset. After reading the article, I was willing to bet it was satire without even following the link.
Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Probably too much to ask, but I wonder if the people who thought that this was real (or perhaps were only slightly skeptical of it's veracity) could try to post the thoughts they had as they read it. I've a theory (well a couple actually) about why people are so easily fooled by stories like this and it would be interesting to see how they fit here.
Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001
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quote: I feel compelled to point out that while I may have the highest post count of any individual under the same screen name, there are at least two other people here who, by my reckoning, have not only been here less time but passed 20,000 posts some time ago when you take their multiple login names into account.
Tom!! You're ALIVE!! I was so worried there for a bit ...
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I think its a fake too. no way would any human being be able to post 20k a day. IF it isn't fake, then at least its too exaggerated.
Posts: 3389 | Registered: Apr 2004
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