[Oswald Defense Lawyer]

They've chosen a very curious time to announce this. My guess is that this means Jobs will be running for President with Gore as his vice

[vmpaul]

Nader was a fine choice. Just don't tell me you live in Fla. Otherwise, we could REALLY blame you for Bush!! If Nader had just released his Fla supporters we wouldn't be in this mess.

I'm not a loyalist either. Or a believer for the 'lesser of two evils'. Have to vote your conscience every time. If not now, then when? Right?

<ok, back to topic>

[thunderous_funker]

Originally posted by vmpaul:
Nader was a fine choice. Just don't tell me you live in Fla. Otherwise, we could REALLY blame you for Bush!! If Nader had just released his Fla supporters we wouldn't be in this mess.

I'm not a loyalist either. Or a believer for the 'lesser of two evils'. Have to vote your conscience every time. If not now, then when? Right?

<ok, back to topic>

I'm in LA (which I hate) but it does afford me the luxory of voting my conscience because my futile act has zero chance of affecting any Electoral votes.

Kind of like peeing in your pants in a dark suit--you get a warm feeling, but no one seems to notice.

[scottiB]

Originally posted by ironknee:
What happened to the Gap guy?

That's Drexler. He now's head of J. Crew after he left (or was dismissed--I forgot which) from Gap.

[Eug]

Originally posted by olePigeon:
Gore never claimed he invented the internet. Here's the quote:

"During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet."

He helped by taking an initiative in creating the internet by spreading public awareness, it's adoption, and even helping to underlay the overall structure for the Internet itself.

1) He said he "took initiative in creating the Internet"

2) The internet preceded Gore, even though he was one of many that did help facilitate its expansion.

3) It's a joke. 90% of people I know realize it's not a direct quote. Nonetheless it's close enough.

[zazou]

Originally posted by ::maroma:::
Um, I think he will be able to handle the job just fine. You think that just becuase he was a politician, he knows nothing about business? Wrong! If you knew anything about business, you'd know that business and politics are always in bed together.

OT

Frankly, I know all too well. And that is why things like this get to me.

The fact that they are tied together in todays economy is exactly why the corps are out of control. because of the back door dealing that elt them get away with a bunch of little stuff and ultimately have an Enron, et al.

Still, it is not that he was involved in politics, but that is ALL he as been involved in.

But, I stand by the original assertion and prefer a Laissez Faire approach

[as2]

I want to know how much he's getting PAID!!

[jckalen]

Just keep Tipper away from iTunes - that's all I ask

[Nonsuch]

Maybe Jobs will get Al to help with the next round of Macworld bakeoffs once the G5s are out. "OK, now for the Photoshop test--ready Al? 3 ... 2 ... 1 ..."

[vmpaul]

Originally posted by jckalen:
Just keep Tipper away from iTunes - that's all I ask

That's good.

Much less wit about this topic than I thought. Maybe not a good night for comedy.

[ironknee]

Originally posted by jckalen:
Just keep Tipper away from iTunes - that's all I ask

AGREED!

[OldManMac]

Originally posted by zazou:
<snip>
Businesses are not in the world to collect taxes and spend the money but promote and sell a product.

<snip>

Businesses operate no differently than the government; they just have a different method of parting you from your money! Do you really think you get value from a $150 pair of sneakers, made in China with sweatshop labor, so that some fat cats can buy multimillion dollar homes, and put your government in their pocket?

One thing most Americans have lost sight of is that, if, and I realize this isn't going to happen soon, more people voted, we could control the government! If you don't like your boss, you can't fire him/her, and you certainly can't tell him/her what to do, nor will most bosses listen to what their subordinates have to say, when it comes to company policy!

We all stand around the proverbial water cooler, complaining about the government did this, and the government did that, but I'd be willing to bet very few of us ever bother to write their congressman, or the president, etc. That's harder to do than complain to people who can't effect change!

Back to our regularly scheduled debate on the merits of Al Gore on Apple's board. BTW, I think it's a great move!

[Superchicken]

Originally the only words I could utter consisted of mainly the cylibals Hoi and Ba.... making sentenes of...
Hoiba... hoi... hoi ba... ba... ba... ba... hoi ba... hoiba... and so on.

Later I just blurted out WHAT THE HECK?

Now I'm thinking... oooooo wait this could acctually help apple... I do find it kinda funny that Bush uses an apple and yet Gore's on Apple's board of directors haha... I think ultimately Apple might be able to get some good contracts

All they need is those freakin PPC 970s!

[olePigeon]

Originally posted by Eug:


1) He said he "took initiative in creating the Internet"

2) The internet preceded Gore, even though he was one of many that did help facilitate its expansion.

3) It's a joke. 90% of people I know realize it's not a direct quote. Nonetheless it's close enough.

Even if you took the it as "I created the internet," actually, he did. He cosponsored the bill that made ARAPAnet public. So in a sense, he did invent it.

[shadybirdstan]

Originally posted by lawgeek:
Why? You can disagree with his politics (as I do), but it's not like he's getting blowjobs from his interns. He's obviously got a passion for technology and I think he'll do great on the board.

Based on what? His impressive track record in the business world? *shrug*

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by shadybirdstan:
Based on what? His impressive track record in the business world? *shrug*

Many members of boards have little experience in business. Michael Eisner appointed his children's elementary school teacher to the board of Disney. An ex-politician on the board of a major corporation is hardly new. After all, Al Gore's father was on the board of Occidental Petroleum for decades.

What is ludicrous is the idea that Gore is going to give any direction to Apple. In theory, the board of directors controls the corporation. In practice, the board of directors is a rubber stamp for the officers.

[tgrundke]

Well, I'll be the ass-hat who chastises everyone for missing the salient points of Gore's appointment:

WHY was Al Gore selected for Apple's Board of Directors? What possible value can he be to improving Apple's competitive position in the industry?

As a shareholder I'm concerned by the move and as a businessman, I'm utterly baffled as to the appointment. The purpose of a Board of Directors is to provide insight and expertise to the managing officers of a company. They are there to devise overall strategy and to provide resources to accomplish that strategy.

I don't understand how hiring a discredited (and I don't mean that in any political manner - merely as a statement of fact) former politician with no weight in Washington will improve Apple's marketshare, products, nor shareholder value.

Unless Apple plans on using Gore as their "education ambassador" to push Apple products in the education market, I do not see his purpose on the board.

From my Monday Morning analysts chair, I see Apple's needs very differently. Apple needs a very aggressive board of directors at the moment who understand what and who Apple is - but who are willing to push it along more aggressively than is currently happening. Apple needs heavyweights from the major industry players. Specifically chip-makers, logistics/manufacturing, and software and peripheral developers.

Apple is beginning to return to the worst of its historical tendencies in becoming marketing heavy and performance light. The press release for Gore's appointment does little to instill confidence as it is just as light and fluffy as Apple has been in recent months.

Competitiveness and agressiveness, not passivity. These are the keys.

[tgrundke]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
Many members of boards have little experience in business. Michael Eisner appointed his children's elementary school teacher to the board of Disney. An ex-politician on the board of a major corporation is hardly new. After all, Al Gore's father was on the board of Occidental Petroleum for decades.

What is ludicrous is the idea that Gore is going to give any direction to Apple. In theory, the board of directors controls the corporation. In practice, the board of directors is a rubber stamp for the officers.

Simey:

Good points, and all valid. I don't see Gore as providing any usefulness to Apple, and in fact, I believe Jobs courted him to the board because Jobs knows he can control Gore and also because of the high-profile nature of the appointment.

Unfortunately, it detracts from Apple's overall legitimacy. Furthermore, Apple is a company that needs a very STRONG board with insightful directors in order to balance Steve Jobs and to provide the legitimate knowledge that Steve THINKS he knows, but ultimately lacks.

[Eug]

Doesn't anyone have a link to the Al Gore monkey dance on the news? I can't find it.

I should have recorded it when I had the chance.

Anyways, I don't really care who's on the board, as long it's not somebody like John Lennon, Albert Einstein, or Mahatma Ghandhi (faves of Jobs, judging by the ads).

[wdlove]

I was suprised that the Boston Globe made no mention of the appointment!

[Nonsuch]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
What is ludicrous is the idea that Gore is going to give any direction to Apple. In theory, the board of directors controls the corporation. In practice, the board of directors is a rubber stamp for the officers.

You never know. There've been rumors for a long time that Apple is trying to interest the government in a secure version of OS X. It can't hurt to have an ex-veep in your pocket when it comes time to start that sales pitch.

[tgrundke]

Originally posted by Nonsuch:
You never know. There've been rumors for a long time that Apple is trying to interest the government in a secure version of OS X. It can't hurt to have an ex-veep in your pocket when it comes time to start that sales pitch.

True, except for one small issue: An ex-veep has even less influence inside the beltway than he does when he is the veep - and that ain't saying much.

[Nebrie]

I'm surprised that how many months after Enron and all those other scandals, that no one here despite how smart they claim they are, knows that board directors are nothing more than rubber stamps? The most Gore can do is give people a name most people have actually heard of and do some lobbying. Lots of ex politicians do it on all sides and no one ever cares. Just live with it. After this press release, you'll pretty much never hear a peep about this ever again. sheesh. quit whining.

[tgrundke]

Originally posted by Nebrie:
I'm surprised that how many months after Enron and all those other scandals, that no one here despite how smart they claim they are, knows that board directors are nothing more than rubber stamps? The most Gore can do is give people a name most people have actually heard of and do some lobbying. Lots of ex politicians do it on all sides and no one ever cares. Just live with it. After this press release, you'll pretty much never hear a peep about this ever again. sheesh. quit whining.

Nebrie:

You are correct in your assumptions. Apple, however, is not a company that can afford to have "rubber stampers" on its board. It needs all the advice and input it can get.

[Anomalous]

This was listed on MacMinute as well.

I agree with Al Gore's policies and feel that he is the rightful president of the United States.

[shadybirdstan]

Originally posted by Anomalous:
This was listed on MacMinute as well.

I agree with Al Gore's policies and feel that he is the rightful president of the United States.

Some people will never wake up.

[davesimondotcom]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
After all, Al Gore's father was on the board of Occidental Petroleum for decades.

AHAH!

It's all about OIL!

[Scoo]

New start up chime for Macs

[beb]

I kind of wonder about the psychology of the whole thing. The average Republican views Gore as a loser. So, by joining Apple who lost the platform wars to the Redmond beast does that make Mac users losers by association.

My point is that you can be right and still lose. My own view is that it is better to attack and destroy small problems before they become big ones. Gore failed to do this in his campaign -or maybe it was that he almost entirely lacked Clinton's natural political flair, maybe that was the small problem.

I miss the Clinton White House. I support Bush's judgement call on Iraq -at the end of the day it probably was the right one. However, I do not support him as the leader of the free and taxsheltered corperate American lapdance boy.

Clinton for all his mistakes, and while getting blown had the ability to concentrate on conversations with senators. Our current first American can't even speak correctly -but he won.

Apple for all it's glory, has had one hell of a firey trail of a burnout. The soccer mom Microsoft who just want's it's kids to have the same advantages as everyone else's might just end up being viewed as "rightious"

[davesimondotcom]

Offered without comment:

Day by Day



OK, I'll comment. I've been reading Day by Day for about two weeks now (but have read all the archives), and I find it hilarious and thought provoking.

I wish it were published in our local paper at least on Sundays...

[davesimondotcom]

Originally posted by beb:
I kind of wonder about the psychology of the whole thing. The average Republican views Gore as a loser. So, by joining Apple who lost the platform wars to the Redmond beast does that make Mac users losers by association.

I don't think of this as a problem. After all, as we know from this board, the majority of Apple faithful are left of center, most of them think that Gore got screwed.

But even if you think of him in a poor light, he does bring big name attention to Apple, which has always sort of been looked at as a less serious corporation compared to Microsoft, etc.

Personally, I can't stand Gore's politics. I find him to be hard to watch because he's always altering his persona around the crowd he's speaking to... as a POLITICIAN. That can be an asset to Apple.

As far as Republicans thinking of Gore as a loser, not true. We think of him as a SORE loser.

Joking folks, don't dig up the whole 2000 thing again.