Singapore Straits Times Also Asks Kenny Sia If Blogging Is Harmful To Health

The Blog Culture 149 Comments

Apparently over in the US, two bloggers have died over what is presumed to be “blog-related stress.”

Personally, I think putting the cause of their deaths squarely on blogging is a bit ridiculous.
But that doesn’t stop a journalist from The Straits Times (Singapore) from asking bloggers what they think about the whole issue.
Cowboy Caleb was the first interviewed, and that smart arse answered those smart arsequestions in the most smart arse-rrific way that only he can.
A few days later, I got a SIMILAR set of interview questions by the same journalist. I thought the questions were kinda cute, so I’m publishing my reply here.


How many posts do you write a month?
Around 15 entries.
What is the most number of posts you’ve ever written in a day?
One. Bear in mind, I normally spread my time over several days to complete one long entry.
What is the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of blogging?
I wrote a letter to OSIM demanding them to replace Fiona Xie with me on their OSIM uZap ads. They never replied.

Do you find yourself having the urge to blog at the strangest places and times? eg do you blog while having meals, during concerts, in the toilet etc?
The only urge I have when I’m in the toilet is something else. Not blogging.
But come to think of it, the word “blog” sounds very much like the sound I make when I’m doing number two in the toilet. Except after a heavy meal, the sound I make it not “blog”. More like “BLLLOOOOGGGGGGGG!!!!”
Seriously though, whoever blogs in toilets needs to get their heads checked.

How often do you check your blog to see if there are new comments?
Every 4 or 5 hours, or whenever I’m free.
I get a new comment every few minutes or so, and I have the habit of reading those comments on my phone whenever I’m idling.
It is reported that many bloggers suffer from weight loss/gain, insomnia etc. Has your health been affected in similar ways?
Yes, my health has been affected.
Since I started blogging, I went on a detox diet, completed two 42km marathons and climbed the Mount Kinabalu in Sabah. All these are things I wouldn’t have possibly done if it wasn’t for the encouragement from the people I met through my blog.

With reference to the NY times story, those bloggers who died in the US are in fact no different to freelance writers who are paid per piece by companies who hired them. When your pay is determined by how much production you generate, obviously some people get a little bit ambitious and overwork themselves.
Here in this region, we don’t have that kind of system where freelance writers are paid for each blog entry they generate. Most bloggers in Asia are doing it as a hobby. However, there are freelance workers in other industries who overwork, and those are the ones that need to worry about their health more.
Do you feel the stress to beat fellow bloggers in coming up with the wittiest post, the fastest response to a piece of news etc?
Used to, but not anymore. I have my own style and other bloggers have theirs. There’s no point competing, unless you wanna compare the size of our egos then yes, sometimes bloggers compete with each other.
Then again, everyone already knows that my balls are the biggest.

Do you believe that blogging can kill? Why?
Yes, blogging can kill.
Blogging can kill time.
Therefore, blogging is dangerous and bloggers should be put into jail together with Mas Selamat.


Somehow, I don’t think my interview is ever gonna make it onto the newspaper.


Jackie Chan’s new fitness equipment looks like a piece of GIANT SANITARY PAD.

149 Replies to “Singapore Straits Times Also Asks Kenny Sia If Blogging Is Harmful To Health”

  3. Hie,
    Am 3rd!!! For the fist time!!
    who says blogging killed? if it can kill ppl then cham lor.. all the bloggers ma die..!!

    Reply

  16. to be fair, those bloggers who died and who’ve suffered ill health aren’t just bloggers anymore. they’re almost full-fledged websites (and technology based ones no less), which means the need for speed is paramount. And, bloggers in the U.S. are much more competitive than in Asia where blogging is still seen as an aside.
    In the U.S. – More readers, usually international audience, technology hubs there, technology changes at a much faster pace. Here? Blah…

    Reply

  20. oh kenny~ you did it again-zapped all the blues and made us all laugh out loud! cool entry you got there~! you’re the best, man!

    Reply

  24. Maybe there should warning notices on blogs similar to packets of cigarettes.
    “Warning: blogging has been scientifically proven to cause cancer of the rectum resulting in excessive verbal diahorrea and ultimately death…of the blog and blogger”
    or
    “Warning: Blogging while pregnant can harm your unborn child, the child may develop severe nerdiness”
    or
    “Warning: Blogging may affect your sexual function, resulting in uncontrollable erections for men”

    Reply

  26. LoL..funny entry, Kenny.
    i had a good saturday morning laugh.
    if only i read this on monday, at least to brighten up my day a bit.
    anyway…i got a question. Who took the picture of you in the toilet?
    or you used self-timer ?
    how did you manage to get nice angle like that?
    LoL..

    Reply

  34. omg -______-
    if u seriously entered dat pic n they seriously replaced u
    im gona go for a sex change!
    lol!!!!!
    hilarious

    Reply

  35. LoL…. no, i think ur interview will be on the newspaper. The J-mat is very funny, really look like a sanitary pad… haha, i wonder have the same usage.

    Reply

  36. The first time I heard about a Malaysian blogger dying was in 2003 when all of a sudden Johan Ismail who blogged by the name “Joe Blogs” passed away due to a heart attack.
    He was one of the first Malaysian bloggers (I’m working overseas in the US) that I followed and was very saddened by it. I must say although I’m a big Kenny Sia fan now, I sorta miss Joe’s witty style of writing.

    Reply

  39. i dunno how u manage to read through ALL the comments generated in your every posts, cos its just so MANY!!!
    y didnt u tell them, blogging can increase the chances of getting the singles hitched? now that’s something positive, no?
    I love the part asking if blogging causes u to lose weight, cos i have yet seen that effect on me. Who is experiencing it now, please email me!!! I WANNA LEARN FROM U!!!

    Reply

  41. Haha … a very funny post with with all those pictures.
    I have been reading your blog for quite some time now, ever since I got to know about the Malaysian Dreamgirl contest.
    And now reading your blog has become one of my daily routine.
    Really enjoyed reading your blog.
    🙂

    Reply

  44. kenny i reckon you look better with slightly longer hair than the short and spiky style
    anwayys, nice ass 😛

    Reply

  45. I couldn’t stop myself from laughing when I saw your photo on uZap…. can I say… ‘geli’?
    Lol… You’re such a daring guy..
    *admire*

    Reply

  47. HAHAHAHA.
    what the hell. i laughed out loud reading your answers. i pity the journalist though; hes like working so hard to write a good article and here you are sounding like you aren’t taking it seriously.
    but yeah what an enjoyable read; the interesting thing ain’t the questions the journalist posed to you, but your answers.
    🙂

    Reply

  67. Kenny, stop blogging bout stupid thing bout urself!! I know tat u are out of idea on wat to post!
    Some bloggers like u are just like useless ppl sitting at the coffee shop gossiping bout others!
    LAME joke from kennysia.com!

    Reply

  72. hey kenny. ur interview is published in the straits times (singapore) today! well.. not all ur questions were published though 🙂 hahas

    Reply

  75. Your blog is very interesting, i am addicted to it, can you stop posting ‘cos it is affecting my health (no food, no drink, no sleep…just you).

    Reply

  76. Sabahans air their grouses
    By SUHAINI AZNAM
    The Prime Minister had looked east for allies to buttress him in his quest to hold on to the national leadership, but was instead confronted by resentful Sabahans who clearly spoke their mind.
    AGGRIEVED at having been shunted aside for so many decades, not trusted and unappreciated despite their repeated proof of loyalty to the centre congealed into a phalanx of issues brought before Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s door last Monday.
    The common sore points voiced by the nine Sabah Barisan Nasional component parties, apparently without orchestration, must have taken Abdullah aback.
    He had gone to Sabah in large part to consolidate his position in Umno, amid calls from detractors in the peninsula for him to step down. But by all accounts, Umno Sabah proved to be his most fiery dialogue partner.
    Initially, he had intended to meet the other Barisan parties collectively but after listening to their morning stance, he thought it wiser to give each of them 40 minutes of his undivided attention.
    “Given our genuine concerns and unhappiness, we spoke with the same voice, as one party,” said state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.
    And since ideology, rather than cold money, seemed to be the core of grievances, talk of rumoured crossovers was neither amplified nor silenced by his meeting. At the end of the day, all the Sabah leaders pledged their allegiance to the Barisan and its leader – without specifically naming who that leader might be.
    It had taken Abdullah a month shy of a day before he turned his sights on the state that had delivered 24 out of 25 parliamentary seats in a “sweat-it-out” general election on March 8.
    He had visited neighbouring Sarawak, responsible for 30 out of 31 seats, just three days earlier. Between them, the two East Malaysian states had delivered 54 parliamentary seats, enabling the coalition to win 140 seats nationwide.
    Watching expectantly from a distance, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, vice-president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and head of its steering committee for East Malaysia, felt that Abdullah’s visit did not nullify the possibility of crossovers.
    By “just listening and promising” but not offering anything specific, Kitingan is hopeful that “sufficient numbers would (switch camps) to cause a bandwagon effect”, with the possibility of reverting the federal government.
    Indeed, some of the points raised at Abdullah’s marathon meeting were the very ones outlined in PKR’s election manifesto.
    The federal government’s seeming lack of recognition – and appreciation – of Sabah’s contribution was a major source of resentment.
    “There’s a feeling that when it comes to delivery, they expect maximum delivery; but when it comes to reward, we just get the leftovers,” said Masidi.
    “In the dialogue, Umno Sabah was not holding the federal government to ransom,” he said. Positions (federal) was only one of the issues; it was not the most important issue.
    “Sabah would like an overall re-evaluation of policy and development approach.”
    Sabah’s unhappiness rolls back to the Borneonisation issue: that “when Sabah and Sarawak formed Malaysia in 1963, it was a merger of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore with the Federation of Malaya.
    Different terms
    “Over the years, Sabah and Sarawak got better terms than the other states,” added Masidi.
    “On their own entity, they were not two of the 13 (states) but two of the four (signatory partners).
    “The terms for Sabah and Sarawak are different on that basis. We have 11 ministries, 30 state departments and agencies, more than 24,000 civil servants and an operating expenditure of RM600mil per annum.
    “We have the sufficient (implementing) ministries and agencies,” said Masidi. “But the central government preferred to set up their own.”
    Funds were channelled through a Federal Development Department, created in states under Opposition rule such as Kelantan and in Sabah under the Parti Bersatu Sabah state government. But after 1994, the federal department remained as a legacy from a previous rule.
    “The parallel federal department insulted a lot of Sabahans,” noted Masidi. “It meant duplication of government functions, more red tape and chaos in the delivery system.”
    Moreover, “the federal government does not have a consultative attitude,” he added. “We want this rectified.”
    All the Sabah parties advocated the Borneonisation of the Sabah civil service.
    “It left a bitter taste when lower category staff from the peninsula are recruited to serve in Sabah,” said Masidi.
    “Whereas Sabah has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.”
    The problem was that all recruitment is done in Kuala Lumpur so naturally people from the peninsula were favoured.
    “When there are vacancies in Sabah, they should localise employment. Sabahans should be given priority,” he added.
    Another old sore was the presence of illegal immigrants, “the mother of all problems”, said United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) secretary-general Datuk Wilfred Tangau, an issue reiterated many times because of their social and political implications.
    The “cover up to give these people red identity cards” and in some cases even to make them citizens, has happened already, he said.
    “There were two specific cases (in the recent election) when Filipinos came out in the open and said that they did not apply for this card. It was given to them. But nothing happened.
    “In Kunak, my cousin told me that 200 of his students in Form Five had to leave the school because they didn’t have identity cards,” Tangau recounted.
    “Their parents were given identity cards to vote without any record in the National Registration Department. They hoped that you would vote and then keep quiet.”
    Poverty rate
    The poverty figures have caused much confusion.
    “For instance in this year’s Budget, Sabah’s poor were put at 23% where the national average is 3.8%. But recently, the Economic Planning Unit revised this downwards to 17% for Sabah. The figures are erratic because foreigners are sometimes in and sometimes out, in just a few months. The EPU has to grapple with who is poor in Sabah.
    “Meanwhile, our kampungs are still without electricity or treated water,” Tangau pointed out.
    He wants a Royal Commission of Inquiry on Illegal Immigrants in Sabah to resolve the problem and with the authority to command people to appear before it.
    Abdullah’s offer of detention centres seemed to be dealing with the symptom rather than tackling the root of the problem. But Tangau welcomed the stopgap measure. Given the numbers, “we really need all these detention centres, with clear jurisdiction as to who is in authority, whether it is the Prisons Department, the police or immigration,” said Tangau.
    Like the other oil producing states, Sabah earns 5% in oil royalties, which at present comes to RM400mil. The PKR had promised to quadruple that to 20%.
    But unlike Terengganu, which processes its gas at Kertih and Sarawak through Bintulu, Sabah only has a gas landing base at Kg Gayang in Tuaran. He noted Abdullah’s receptivity to their idea of building a petrochemical plant in Kimanis in Papar, instead of the plan to pipe the gas to Bintulu at a cost of RM1.2bil to Petronas.
    “This would provide economic spin-offs and jobs for the locals and give meaning to the Sabah development corridor,” he said.
    Upgrading of roads was another specific. Sabah needed to seal 5,000km of state JKR roads. At a conservative cost of RM1mil per km, this would entail RM5bil. Since the Ninth Malaysia Plan had only allocated RM500mil for Sabah roads, the state representatives suggested scrapping a mega project elsewhere for this purpose.
    As to Sabah representation in the federal government, it was not so much the numbers but the positions in Cabinet. The proffered post of Speaker, while welcome, was not necessarily equivalent to that of a minister in terms of authority.
    “Sabah and Sarawak are the most underdeveloped states in Malaysia – so it would be logical to give the Rural and Regional Development portfolio to someone from these states; whereas Selangor is the most developed, why give it to a guy from the most developed state?” noted Masidi.
    Datuk Shafie Apdal’s perceived “demotion” from Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs to Minister of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage “added salt to the wound,” he added.
    Apparently the Sabah leaders had hoped that either Sabah or Sarawak would be given the Rural and Regional portfolio, and the other then be given the Works Ministry. That alone would have sufficed.
    Sabah has been a part of Malaysia for 45 years.
    “A lot of things have happened,” said Tangau. “This (federal attitude) is a problem for us. Please. This has gone beyond politics.
    “How long will you not trust us? Instead you give us jaga museum, jaga kaji cuaca (take care of museums, oversee meteorological stations),” he said, referring to Shafie and to Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili, the federal Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation.
    It all boiled down to trust. And to being treated as equal Malaysians. If Kuala Lumpur has forgotten the spirit of the 20-point agreement, or what is left of it, inked at the formation of Malaysia, Sabahans certainly have not.

    Reply

  77. Kenny!! I just read the papers today and it did make it!
    But without the more “interesting” bits of course.
    Hahaha.

    Reply

  79. singaporean here and yes ur interview replies are up on the straits times!!! censored though… hahaha no blllooooooooooging and no mas salamat… waha

    Reply

  80. well… as usual… kenny’s posts makes me laugh out loud and tears drop also almost come out due to unstopable laughter ^^
    Just hope that maybe 1 day I can write as good as you are…

    Reply

  83. HAHAHA KENNY ure so GROSS.. first i saw the uZAP advert i was like WTH… then i saw the pic of u in the toilet, i was like WTF!!!!!
    GOOD ONE, keep up da good post

    Reply

  85. Your interview did get onto the papers Kenny! But your replies to the first two questions and the last question (of course HAHA) didn’t get published! Xiaxue, Cowboy Caleb and Mr. Miyagi were also interviewed. =)
    Love your blog btw, keep everything up! 😉 Thanks for being such a good source of entertainment hahahaa.

    Reply

  86. Good answers, Kenny, to an absurd interview. However, there are some things that we just don’t need to see and you sitting on a toilet is one of them. Reserve that for your girlfriend. Your blog continues to be a fun take on life where you are.

    Reply

  87. Hi kenny… Malaysia dreamgirl given alot of chances and opportunity to those Malay girls, i.e Nadia.. which is really unfair and I can see some of the non-Malay contestant are pretty good too. wat to do is MALAYSIA dreamgirl anyway….

    Reply

  89. newspaper here is allegedly owned and controlled by government. when there’s some issue coming out, they have to take actions to “educate” the public of what is good and what is not, what is right and what not. so people lose the ability to analyse things.
    a few days ago they put the headline as sth like “why sth related to tibet is bad.” oh, are they here to comment? or implying that people have to be obedient? otherwise, look at the potential damage that could be brought to the country, etc?
    anyway, same goes to main stream media (MSM) in malaysia, i.e. NST, the star, TV3, RTM………

    Reply

  90. so what i want to say is, here it goes, publish what they think is right, make u believe into what they want you to think it is. ok lah, in this case it brings no harm. just wanna say that beware of MSM in our lives, look out for lies that may come.

    Reply

  91. you always post something that interesting, and you are the reason why i start blogging bro,I even killed out my laziness to write and start blogging. keep up the good work. and i don’t think blogging can be harmful to death, it just make people have a new life.

    Reply

  92. you were right. they didn’t publish your interview. lol. but they did publish wendy’s, mr miyagi’s and cowboy’s.

    Reply

  96. I read from recent post by John Chow and he stated that too much of blogging is harmful to our health.My personal view is if you over working in any field definitely will be harmful to us and not necessary is blogging only,for eg,if you work long hour from 9am-10pm everyday,do you think it will be harmful to you in long term?I am sure you guys know the answer,right?

    Reply

  98. Sometime Singaporean can come up with most ridicules ideas/ thoughts… Kenny, You should have ask her if her jobs can kill? All long hours work can kill.
    Other ridicules Singapore ideas:
    What about the “go home early to have dinner with your family day” a few years ago?
    OSIM uzap. It does not work.
    BTW, have you seen the new uVibe? It may not be ridicules but it’s funny to see a woman vibrator (sex toy) being advertise like a normal merchandise. I thought Singaporeans are very conservative.

    Reply

  100. I’m the 100th! lol. Most blogger in Malaysia blog as a hobby. But there are also some who open up a blog purposely to earn money from writing up posts. It depends on how the blogger wanna deal with their blogging habit actually. I mean for fun or for money.

    Reply

  101. kenny………….i and u have the same stomach size!!!!!!!!
    :-}
    u know the way to slim down?
    \If got pls inform me……….0165750274
    lol………………..hehehehehe!!!!!

    Reply

  106. no worries, even though osim didnt reply u, ur letter and famous osim pic is now used as a teaching tool for the subject marketing. haha!

    Reply

  107. Haha, well, they did not put your pictures up in the interview :]
    If the UZap one had been up, that would indeed have been funny x]

    Reply

  108. You look awesome in the uZap ad and even better hotter in the toilet pic!! You shud hv write to a toiletware brand to endorse their toilet bowl 🙂

    Reply

  112. Now i remember who is Kenny, the new OSIM ambassador! I remember i receive the spam mail, and admire you because of ur sexy body!!!!
    Fuoyh!!!!!

    Reply

  113. Hi there Mr Kenny. I am the guy in orange TM shirt who spoke to you at the PC Fair two days ago, in Hall One, remember?
    It was great to have met you and it was really unexpected. Now that I know how you actually look like, I think rite… you should really take some time out to the gym or the park. get some jog like u used to do. In a meaner word, cut the fat!! hahaha.. sorry har, but that’s what I really think.
    Anyway, still, you have a nice blog to read and it’s a good medium to me and many other blog readers out there (I believe) to get entertained and to kill time. Haha.

    Reply

  117. Ok, I agree that Jacky Chan equipment does look like a giant sanitary pad. somemore it is white colour, just suitable for giants..
    Anyway, I like you U-Zap ad..hahaha..it would be fun to see you on that ad..but I guess OSIM would be disgusted about that..thats why they don’t reply you.
    As for blogging kill..yes blogging can kill time..
    Blogging also kill boring..or boredom..

    Reply

  119. All those guys died of heart attacks and coronary problems, possibly from long-term stress. Please don’t die kenny, I know it’s a longshot, but please take good care of yourself.
    Don’t even post for a whole week if you need to relax. Your loyal readers won’t mind. Don’t stress okay ? Hell, take my health advice, it’s pretty decent and I’m doing well so far.
    http://nicevilblogs.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/who-wants-good-health/
    Don’t you dare die before me kenny. Don’t you dare……..!! D:

    Reply

  120. kenny, please consider removing your chatterbox !
    Don’t you think there are too many ” jiak pa bo sai bang ” people here talking nonsense !!

    Reply

  121. SABAHAN & SARAWAKIAN WE ARE UNDER COLONISED AGAIN,NOT BY ORANG PUTIH BUT WITH MALAYA.
    WE MUST PROTECT OUR 20-POINTS AGREEMENT,THE FORMED OF M’SIA 1963 WITH MALAYA,SABAH,SARAWAK & SINGAPORE(SECEDE 1965).WE ARE NOT A PART OF MALAYA STATE.
    “WE MUST FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHT”

    Reply

  133. KENNY, i saw you last night at Spring with your girl. Wow, you’re hot, man. you’re my type, my type!!!! Too bad, i wish i were 10 years younger.
    Well, you’re good looking man, much better than PCK.

    Reply

  136. muahahaaa…
    i love your pictures more than i love the words (but these were hilarious too). my favorite have to be the OSIM advert. they could’ve made so much out of that. =P lolz..
    perhaps you could as a hair removal cream product to star you next. all the best with staring in some advert one day.
    ta!

    Reply

  141. All I know…many companies..even GRO’s…night spots are loosing productivities…customers…big spenders..respectively..due to blogging craze.

    Reply

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    Reply

  145. Wow you really trying hard to be creative. I think when more and more people are addictive to blogging, many health company will take advantage. They will sell equipment for bloggers to stay healthy although blogging 24/7.
    Maybe OSIM can create a bloggers healthy chair to keep our heart pumping!

    Reply

  147. Speaking of OSIM products, I’m in a town in the Midwestern USA and was shocked when some lady on the local Freecycle group (a mailing list for people to give away old stuff) asked if anyone had an iGallop. Turns out she wanted it for her son’s physiotherapy but now I have a mental image of some spastic kid on an iGallop…

    Reply

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