As the CEO of Apple though, unless Jobs decries and or stops these actions, then it is a tactic approval. His lack of action to reverse these decisions, in the end, has the same force and effect as if he actually issued the decisions himself.

So as my father used to say, “either poop or get off the pot”.

I fault whoever came up with the flaming title “iCon…” which is reprehensible and foul play.

While I don’t believe in “Don’t Worry, Be Crappy” crap of Kawasaki, I do support Steve Jobs and Apple and the Mac. Jobs had the right to do what he did. I support him 100%, and I’m not even a current Mac user…though that may change shortly, especially if idiots get jealous of him and attack him.

I may go out and get a Mac just to spite the culprits who want Atlas to shrug or shrub..

From the stories I’ve read about him, over the years, I have the impression it is both.

But, as with anybody in the public spotlight, only those who know him and/or have worked for him know the truth.

I’m not surprised the blogs have enjoyed slamming him, since they seem to be ticked-off about the judge’s ruling in Apple’s suit against some “rumor” websites – with the perceived affront that web-sites/blogs are not “real” journalists, and therefore do not enjoy 1st Amendment protections with regard to protecting their sources.

I do think the judge hit it on the head, though:

“The public has had, and continues to have, a profound interest in gossip about Apple,” the judge ruled. “Therefore, it is not surprising that hundreds of thousands of ‘hits’ on a Web site about Apple have and will happen. But an interested public is not the same as the public interest.”

Many bloggers will bitch about the “real journalist” issue – loud and long – but how many will offer a detailed/reasoned refutaion of the 13-page ruling?

How many will offer evidence that Jobs was personally responsible for the decision?

I get the feeling that the expansion of who qualifies as a “journalist” is starting to dilute the term, similar to how the post-9/11 expansion of who qualifies as a “hero” has diluted the impact of that term.

Some things can be given to you, but most should be earned.